Automated Umpiring Set for 2026: MLB Votes For New Challenge Format

Major League Baseball has announced that in 2026, it will be using robot umpires. At the beginning of the 2026 season, players and managers will be able to challenge balls and strikes after MLB’s competition committee voted to adopt the automated-assisted system, a change made to improve accuracy behind the plate.

In the past, this system has been tested in the Minor Leagues, as well as spring training and this year’s All-Star Game. During those trials, players, pitchers and managers were given a limited number of challenges per game. Only pitchers, hitters and catchers will be able to challenge calls. Challenges are displayed on the scoreboard, allowing fans to view the live automated calls. There will still be human plate umpires and they will still call balls and strikes. The computerized system will only come into play if the call is challenged.

It is predicted that the automated system will cut down the rate of ejections. Yankees Manager, Aaron Boone, who leads in ejections for the fifth straight year, states that “this system is inevitable.” During the spring training test this year, teams averaged around four challenges per game. The challenges succeeded 52.2% of the time. Pitches outside the zone that seem like strikes are overturned at a rate of 56%.

The league believes that the system can improve accuracy while also maintaining the pace of the game and offering a balance between traditional umpiring and the new robot umpiring. Supporters say it represents the next step in baseball’s evolution, while critics argue it may change the feel of the sport.