World Series champion John Smoltz warns baseball 'will suffer' if ABS system is applied to all pitches World Series champion John Smoltz, a Hall of Famer and eight-time All-Star, has expressed concerns about the future of Major League Baseball’s automated challenge system, known as the ABS system. In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Smoltz, who played 21 seasons in the majors—including 20 with the Atlanta Braves—stated that while he supports the current two-challenge format, he fears the system could harm the game if expanded to all pitches. Smoltz, 59, praised the ABS system as a “big success” for MLB but emphasized his hope that it remains limited to the existing framework. “I like it. It has definitely changed the game and we’re going to have to have some kind of correct system. Meaning, I like it with two challenges only,” he said. He argued that the system’s current structure allows for strategic gameplay without overcomplicating the sport. “I’m begging and pleading that it never goes to a full-time system. Baseball will suffer and not be the same and it’ll be impossible to hit,” Smoltz added. The ABS system, which allows teams two challenges per game to verify whether a pitch was thrown outside the strike zone, has already altered how pitchers and hitters approach at-bats. Smoltz highlighted two key changes: a decline in swing rates and an increase in walk rates. According to Fangraphs, hitters swung at 47.5% of pitches last season but swung at 46.9% this season, while walk rates rose from 8.4% to 9.2%. Smoltz attributed these shifts to pitchers struggling to command the ball and hitters becoming more aware of pitch location. “The swing rate has gone down, the walk rates gone through the roof.#atlanta_braves #boston_red_sox #major_league_baseball #st_louis_cardinals #john_smoltz
World Series champion John Smoltz warns baseball 'will suffer' if ABS system is applied to all pitches A month into the MLB season, the implementation of the Automatic Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system has sparked debate among players and analysts. World Series champion John Smoltz, a Hall of Famer and eight-time All-Star, has expressed concerns that expanding the system to cover all pitches could fundamentally alter the game. While Smoltz praised the current challenge system as a "big success," he emphasized his hope that it remains limited to its current format, where teams are allowed two challenges per game. Smoltz, 59, told Fox News Digital that the system has already changed the dynamics of baseball. He argued that the current setup allows for strategic use of challenges without overcomplicating the game. "I like it with two challenges only," he said. "Baseball will suffer and not be the same if it goes to a full-time system. It'll be impossible to hit." His comments reflect broader concerns among players about the potential for the ABS system to reduce human judgment in critical moments, such as determining whether a pitch is a ball or strike. The ABS system, introduced to minimize subjective calls by umpires, has already influenced player behavior. According to Fangraphs, hitters are swinging at 46.9% of pitches this season, down from 47.5% last year, while walk rates have increased to 9.2% from 8.4%. Smoltz attributed these shifts to the system’s impact on both pitchers and batters. He noted that pitchers are struggling to command the ball consistently, leading to more walks and fewer swings. "The swing rate has gone down, the walk rates gone through the roof," he said. "That's a problem, but it's a byproduct of pitchers not being able to command the baseball.#atlanta_braves #mlb #fox_news_digital #john_smoltz #automatic_ball_strike
