In a spring training game, Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson used MLB's new Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System to overturn a close strike call against Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes. The Braves won all four challenges against Skenes, contributing to their 3-1 victory. The incident highlighted the precision of the ABS system in its debut regular season.
The Atlanta Braves defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 in a spring training matchup on Wednesday at CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida. The game featured the introduction of MLB's Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System for the 2026 season, allowing teams two challenges per game that they retain if successful.
A pivotal moment occurred during Skenes' first spring start when he faced Matt Olson with a 1-1 count. Home-plate umpire Chris Segal called Skenes' curveball a strike, but Olson tapped his helmet to challenge the call. The ABS review showed the pitch missed the outside edge of the strike zone by one-tenth of an inch, overturning the decision and shifting the count to 2-1. Olson subsequently drew a walk.
"When the season gets rolling, that’s probably not the pitch that you're going to be challenging, but you’ve got to feel it out a bit," Olson said. "I figured, whatever. It was a backdoor sweeper that I felt kind of held up a little bit. I just said, ‘Screw it, let’s rip it and see what happens.’"
The Braves successfully challenged three more pitches against Skenes: a 98.3 mph fastball to Jurickson Profar (missed by half an inch), a 99 mph fastball to Austin Riley (1.5 inches above the zone), and a fastball to Ronald Acuña Jr. (1.5 inches outside). These reversals led to additional walks, as Skenes issued four free passes in 2 1/3 innings, throwing 53 pitches with only 27 strikes. He struck out four batters but was removed early.
Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young winner with a 1.97 ERA last season, responded pragmatically. "Good for [Olson], I guess," he said. "I don’t know. I’ve got to throw it .1 inches lower." He added, "Ask me again in June. Today, that’s how it is. I’ve just got to adjust. … I think it will even out over the course of the season, but ask me in June."
The ABS system, trialed in spring 2025, aims to increase accuracy on borderline calls, potentially altering pitching strategies as teams adapt to its precision.
