MLB’s new automated strike zone has created a massive unintended consequence for hitters and pitchers
The introduction of Major League Baseball’s automatic ball-and-strike challenge system was expected to transform the sport in 2026. Throughout the entire history of the game, players and managers have complained about missed calls on the home field, where arguments and on-field disagreements are commonplace.
And suddenly, for the first time, they could do something about it.
If catchers, pitchers, or hitters believed an umpire had missed a call, they were suddenly allowed to appeal it. Two challenges per game, more if an individual challenge is successful.
Even in the first month of the season, this new practice has seriously affected the sport. End-of-inning calls were reversed, giving batters another opportunity that in some cases led to game-changing home runs. Pitchers took advantage of catchers taking them out of the inning by turning the ball into a strike with a well-timed tackle.
But this is all clear. But ABS brought about a completely unexpected change that significantly affected both batters and pitchers.
The scoreboard shows an ABS challenge during the 95th MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga., on July 15, 2025. (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Walking exploded with the new ABS system
As the challenges arose, MLB had to essentially redefine the strike zone to ensure that the tracking system could consistently and accurately measure what was actually a strike or ball. Therefore, they created a new version of the area based on the player’s specific characteristics.
According to the rulebook, “The batting zone shall be a two-dimensional rectangle located in the center of home plate, with the edges of the zone set to the width of home plate (17 inches) and the top and bottom adjusted to each player’s height (53.5% of the hitter’s height at the top and 27% at the bottom).
How does this differ from the previous definition? Ben Clemens at FanGraphs He measured the change from the 2025 regular season and found that the zone was shrinking at the top and at the edges of the plate.
Changes umpires will make in the strike zone in 2025-2026, according to Fangraphs research (FanGraphs/Ben Clemens)
How did this happen in practice?
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The new strike zone and the obvious embarrassment of having a call overturned has changed the way umpires call balls and strikes. With a few exceptions, they seem to have been more stingy with strikes, and the data bears this out.
His league-wide walk rate was 8.4% in 2025 and never went below 8.2% or above 8.7% from 2021 through 2025. So far in 2026? His walk rate is as high as 9.6 percent. This is by far the highest walk rate of any season in the last decade.
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Roman Anthony of the Boston Red Sox hits his helmet for an ABS tackle during a game against the Minnesota Twins on April 13, 2026 at Target Field in Minneapolis. (Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos)
In fact, the league redefined the strike zone to be slightly smaller than the zone previously used by umpires. Fearing overthrow, or at least more aware of the new territory and its limitations, umpires called for fewer strikes. Batsmen, no doubt instructed by their teams and aware of this new change, are fielding more.
The combination of all these factors leads to more walking. In a stable sport like baseball, a 1.2 percent year-over-year increase is huge.
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Equally interesting is that while his league-wide on-base percentage is .322, which is the third-highest since 2016, as hitting has become so difficult thanks to the increase in velocity and pitching development, batting averages are at their lowest in the last decade.
The scoreboard shows the Automatic Strike Challenge, sponsored by T-Mobile, during a spring training game between the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla., on March 16, 2026. (Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
So ABS changed the strike zone, making it smaller than in previous years. Umpires adjusted, calling fewer strikeouts, hitters took notice and became more patient in the process, and now walks are at their highest level in a decade. The question now is: Can pitchers recover and strike out more despite the risk of harder contact? It’s just one of many changes brought about by MLB’s attempt to make the game better.
