Terry Francona Explains Why Reds Will Opt Out of MLB's ABS System Testing

Francona and the Reds won't be playing along.

Francona watches a pitching session. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As MLB tests an Automated Ball-Strike challenge system in roughly half of its spring training games in the lead-up to the 2025 regular season, at least one team won't be participating in the experiment. Cicninnati Reds manager Terrry Francona, as he told reporters on Friday, has encouraged big leaguers on his club not to utilize the challenge system, so as not to distract the team with a process it won't be able to use come regular season action.

"I'm OK with seeing our younger kids do it because they've done it," Francona said, via Field Level Media. "It's not a strategy for (the MLB teams), so why work on it? I don't want to make a farce of anything, but we're here getting ready for a season and that's not helping us get ready."

Several of the Reds minor leaguers have prior experience with the ABS challenge system, which, along with full ABS (all balls and strikes automated) was tested at the Double and Triple-A levels in '23 and '24. By the end of '24, full ABS was dropped in favor of the happy middle ground, the ABS challenge system.

In the ABS system, teams will have two challenges per game. Only a hitter, pitcher and catcher can challenge a ball or strike call, and if the challenge is accepted, it's retained. A failed challenge attempt results in a lost challenge. Using Hawk-Eye technology, a replay of the pitch's location in the strike zone will be shown on broadcasts and stadium video scoreboards, demonstrating if the call made on the field was accurate or not.

13 ballparks have been fitted with the challenge system technology this spring.

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