ABS Challenge Data Shows Persistent Growing Pains for Blue Jays
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The Toronto Blue Jays finally pulled off a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday by a tight score of 4-3. The Dodgers still clinched the 2-1 series victory, but ending the set on a high note and ending their six-game losing skid certainly offered a boost in confidence for the Blue Jays.
Toronto's primary obstacle involves its dwindling pitching staff. Its arms are dropping like flies, landing themselves on the IL. Most notably, Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce, Max Scherzer and Shane Bieber are all out of commission, raising immediate concerns for the ballclub. But this isn't the only point of frustration for the franchise.
Pitching aside, there's another area in which Toronto hasn't been performing as well as they had hoped—the ABS Challenge System. According to data from Baseball Savant, the Blue Jays have been floundering when it comes to the newly implemented system. Here's how the numbers are looking to date.
Toronto Falls Toward Bottom in Successful Overturns
Of 11 batting challenges made by the Blue Jays, they have won four and lost seven, giving them a win rate of 36%. When it comes to fielding, of their nine challenges, they have one five and lost four, boosting their win rate to 56%.
Compared to other franchises, Toronto's rates aren't exactly sparkling. At the time of this writing, the Arizona Diamondbacks have a batting win rate of 80% (4-1), while in fielding, the Detroit Tigers lead with a rate of 90% (9-1).
Slugger George Springer claims a 100% win percentage, but take that with a grain of salt, because he's only made one challenge. Kazuma Okamoto has made two challenges, but he lost one of them, ultimately handing himself a 50%.
As for catcher Tyler Heineman, he has made five challenges, three of which he lost. As a result, his win rate stands at 40%.
Across Major League Baseball, there have been 312 attempts made by batters to overturn a call, but only 150 have been successful, giving batters a 48%. For fielders the rate is quite a bit higher at 59%, with 341 attempts and 201 overturned calls.
Using the ABS Challenge System wisely requires high-pressure decision-making, and in moments where there's little room for error, ballclubs have struggled with the new system. However, it can't be denied that this adds another exciting element to the game, but the adjustment period is proving to be difficult.
Maria Aldrich lives in the captivating Adirondack Mountains in New York where she can be found scaling cliffs, hiking in the High Peaks and paddling down local rivers. After graduating from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education, Maria began documenting her backcountry experiences through written stories. Over the years, she has found herself drawn to sports journalism and now focuses on MLB, WNBA, NCAA and NHL writing. She can be reached at mariaaldrich20@outlook.com.