"There will be a shift in public reaction to MLB's ball-strike challenge rule. The current response to the automated ball-strike system is borderline giddy, but it will be more tempered in a few weeks."
"Batting average once again appears to be spiraling, perhaps worse than ever. Walk rates are sky high, strikeout rates keep pushing upward, and the shift restrictions continue to have only a modest effect on league-level BABIP."
"We do know the strike zone is a little different with this system and, historically, even small changes to the zone can wreak havoc. What if one of the unintended consequences of the oh-so-wonderful ABS system is to exacerbate an already befuddling problem?"
Two weeks into the 2026 MLB season, predictions are being made despite the small sample size. Experts have identified bold predictions, including a shift in public reaction to the automated ball-strike system. Current enthusiasm may wane as batting averages decline and strikeout rates rise. The impact of the automated system on the strike zone could exacerbate existing issues with batting averages, leading to tempered reactions in the future. Predictions are ranked by their boldness, with some being more surprising than others.
Read at ESPN.com
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