MLB All-Star Game to Debut Automated Strike Zone in Atlanta Showdown

The MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta next week is set to make history, rolling out the Automated Balls and Strikes System (ABS) for the first time in a non-spring training game. This tech, already a hit in the minors and spring training, is shaking up the diamond with its promise of pinpoint accuracy. Pitchers, batters, or catchers can challenge calls on the spot, with two challenges per game and a chance to keep them if they win. Fans are loving it—72% polled during spring training gave it a thumbs-up, while only 10% grumbled.

Commissioner Rob Manfred is all in, eyeing a full-time ABS rollout by 2026. The system’s trial run this spring sparked a flood of emails to Manfred’s desk, with fans and teams alike clamoring for its precision over human umps. But it’s not just about tech—this change comes amid larger bases, shift bans, and pitch clocks, making it a bold leap in baseball’s modern era. With a potential lockout looming as the collective bargaining agreement nears its 2026 expiration, the timing’s as wild as a knuckleball.

Still, the game’s thriving. Attendance has climbed for two straight years, a feat not seen since 2012. Atlanta’s hosting this midsummer classic, a makeup for 2021 when the game was moved to Coors Field over Georgia’s controversial Election Integrity Act. Expect a spectacle that blends tradition with tech, proving baseball’s still got plenty of curve left.