Inside The Rangers

Texas Rangers Will Have ABS Challenge System at Their Stadium This Spring

The new technology will be available to stadiums this spring which are home to multiple teams like the Texas Rangers.

Avradeep Mukherjee

A hat and glove of a Texas Rangers player
A hat and glove of a Texas Rangers player / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
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The Texas Rangers are one of the teams who will have the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system at their stadium during spring training games per Jesse Rogers of ESPN.

Not every ballpark used for spring training has been equipped with the technology.

The challenge system will be used in 13 spring stadiums and more than 60% of Cactus and Grapefruit League games.

In the minor leagues, ABS has been utilized occasionally, and this spring, MLB plans to advance the testing. The concept might be introduced in Major League games for the 2026 season if the reviews are favorable.

To provide the league with as much information as possible prior to a 2026 decision, Triple-A baseball will also use the challenge system during this upcoming regular season.

The new system will have to be initiated while complying with the following set of rules:

1) There will be two challenges per game for each side in the spring, and successful challenges will be retained.
2) A challenge can only be initiated by the hitter, catcher, or pitcher, and it must be made right away following the umpire's call.

To indicate a challenge, the athlete must tap his helmet or cap.

Whether a call was reversed or not will be communicated by the challenge's outcomes on the scoreboard and television broadcast.

In the past, a disagreeable call on the striking zone's edge would likely be greeted by a frustrated body language and possibly a frustrated facial expression, but now, there will be some head taps as part of this spring training.

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Avradeep Mukherjee
AVRADEEP MUKHERJEE

Avradeep Mukherjee is a passionate sports writer and a graduate of Calcutta University with a degree in English Honours. A lifelong sports enthusiast, he has honed his expertise in soccer and basketball through dedicated writing and analysis. His ability to combine his love for sports with a strong command of language makes him a versatile and skilled sports journalist. Avradeep continues to explore the dynamic world of sports, delivering compelling content to fans and readers alike.

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