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MLB tests robot umpires as tradition meets technology in spring training

By and
Published  February 27, 2025 4:38pm MST
Sports
FOX 10 Phoenix

The Brief

    • MLB is testing an automated ball-strike sytem during spring training using Hawk-Eye technology, which is a fixture in tennis matches throughout the world.
    • Fans and players are divided on whether they like the idea of robots impacting games.
    • If approved by the MLB competition committee, the technology could be implemented as early as 2026.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Artificial intelligence is everywhere these days and now that includes Major League Baseball. 

The league is testing new robot umpires during spring training in the form of an automated ball-strike system. 

The ABS system has been tested in the minor leagues for the past few seasons and apparently it got positive reviews. 

So now it’s time for a tryout in the big leagues, adding a new position to America’s pastime from out of left field - a robot umpire. 

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During baseball's data revolution, the fine art of making borderline pitches look like strikes was found to be a game-changing craft. The calculus, though, could be about to change, along with an equation that’s included the human element for nearly 150 years.

What they're saying:

"I think the robot umpire is really good. I think it’ll speed up the game," said one fan.

"I get people want to try to be more accurate with it, but I’m more of traditionalist," said another.

READ MORE: Arizona lawmakers work to recapture taxes at Chase Field to pay for repairs, upgrades

What we know:

The Hawk-Eye pose-tracking system is a series of cameras connected to computers that call balls and strikes in less than a second. 

Hawk-Eye has been used in tennis for several years now and has seen widespread success.

Each team can challenge or request the robot two times per game.

Some, however, don't think computers are necessarily a good thing:

"I just don’t think it’s a good thing because I think we need a human element still."

"You need a human judgment to make a baseball game a baseball game."

Watch FOX 10 Phoenix live:

What you can do:

Fans can make their own calls on robot umps by scanning a QR code from the stands and filling out a survey. 

Survey results will help the league decide if ABS is a dropped ball or a home run?

But will ABS spell an end to the always entertaining  umpire arguments?

Not so fast. 

"In an ABS world, fights will be a little different and I think that you’ve seen in spring already that if the hitter disagrees, instead of yelling, he can tap his hat because for a challenge," said Morgan Sword, Executive VP of Baseball Operations. "But the goal is to not to take away from any of the drama of a game, but to add to it." 

In one instance, a minor league game ended on a hat-tap challenge that resulted in a strikeout to end a game in the ninth inning.

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The other side:

So tradition takes on technology, purists versus perfection. 

Either way, it’s a curve ball and the future of baseball is up to bat and fans have their thoughts:

"I think it should be a combination of both though. Like that human element needs to be maintained."

"It makes a huge difference so many close games that are lost because of bad causes right."

"We’re here to watch humans not robots."

The competition committee will look at the system when spring training wraps up. 

The earliest the ABS system could officially be part of Major League Baseball is the 2026 season.

The Source

  • Information for this story was obtained by FOX 10 Reporter Brian Webb through the MLB, interviews with MLB Executive VP of Baseball Operations and fans at spring training games.

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