Major League Baseball introduced an automated ball-strike challenge system this season in partnership with T-Mobile. The technology allows players to review close pitches using high-speed cameras and instant animations displayed on stadium screens. In a May 1 game at T-Mobile Park, the system confirmed an umpire's strike call on a pitch from Kansas City Royals pitcher Cole Ragans to Seattle Mariners hitter Leo Rivas.
Twelve Hawk-Eye cameras track each pitch and feed data over a private T-Mobile 5G network. The system delivers an average review time of 15.4 seconds, with latency around 2.3 milliseconds. Fans, players, and umpires see the animated result simultaneously on the big screen.
