The Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System is the game's latest high-tech and a compromise between owners and players concerned about the rise of "robo umps."

MLB announced Tuesday it will use the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System in the 2026 season to cut down on human error by umpires. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI UPI MLB announced Tuesday it will use the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System in the 2026 season to cut down on human error by umpires. File Photo by Jeff Kowalsky/UPI UPI MLB announced Tuesday it will use the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System in the 2026 season to cut down on human error by umpires. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI UPI MLB announced Tuesday it will use the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System in the 2026 season to cut down on human error by umpires. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI UPI

Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Major League Baseball entered an age of robot umpiring Tuesday after a league committee approved a high-tech system for players to challenge calls.

The Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System will be in place for 2026 following the vote by the Joint Competition Committee, a panel representing owners, players and umpires that is in charge of rule changes, according to the league.

While umpires will no longer have the final say on balls and strikes, they will remain an integral part of the game and will continue to make most calls as part of what the league described as a compromise over concerns of "robot umps."

What's new is that batters, pitchers or catchers will be able to challenge an umpire's call by tapping his helmet or cap.

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Once a challenge is issued, an animated reenactment of the pitch produced using Hawk-Eye technology will be shown on the stadium videoboard and to home viewers. The technology will show the precise location of each pitch and its relation to the batter's zone, either confirming or overturning the umpire's call, according to the league.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in an article posted on the league's website that the new system came after getting feedback from fans and extensively testing the technology at the Minor League level.

"Throughout this process we have worked on deploying the system in a way that's acceptable to players," he said. "The strong preference from players for the Challenge format over using the technology to call every pitch was a key factor in determining the system we are announcing today."

The league also tried out the technology during spring training trials. It announced in March that over half of ball-strike challenges were successful during the spring training. Pitching teams also saw a 54.4% overturn rate, compared to a 50% clip for hitters. Catchers succeeded at a rate of 56% on their challenges. Just 2.6% of spring training pitches were challenged.

Disputes over umpires' calls have famously been a source of brawls and tantrums, and the league has sought to find ways to reduce human error.

Players have opposed using the Automated Ball-Strike system. But they were overruled on the committee that approved the new system, which is made up of six owners, four players and an umpire, reported USA Today.

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The automated system is a significant step for the league after it adopted technology that includes pitch clocks, bigger bases and other innovations meant to speed up the pace of the game.

The challenge system is expected to mean only brief interruptions to games. Each team is given two challenges, which are retained if the umpire's call is overturned. Teams get additional challenges for games that go into extra innings.