MLB to Pilot Hybrid Strike Zone Challenge System Next Spring
MLB will test a hybrid strike zone challenge system during 2025 spring training, allowing teams three challenges per game. The move, confirmed by Commissioner Rob Manfred, aims to enhance call accuracy by integrating human judgment with technology.
Published on April 6, 2025
Major League Baseball will test a new strike zone challenge system during the 2025 spring training, confirming its commitment to refining the game. Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the system, which combines the expertise of human umpires with technological assistance, will allow each team to challenge calls three times per game. The experiment builds on MLB’s recent innovative changes, such as the introduction of the pitch clock and the expansion of base dimensions, and follows successful minor league trials of similar technology.
The testing phase is designed to gather real-time feedback from players and teams, who have expressed a clear preference for a hybrid approach over a fully automated strike zone. While the detailed timing for a full implementation remains to be determined, the 2025 spring training trials—beginning in multiple stadiums—mark an important step in MLB's ongoing efforts to improve call accuracy and overall game integrity. Updates on testing progress and potential adjustments are expected as the season unfolds.