Pittsburgh Pirates star Paul Skenes dropped a surprising perspective on the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system that MLB has implemented into its games.
Skenes, 23, arrived on the scene just a few years ago as a rookie and quickly proved why Pittsburgh made him their No. 1 draft pick in 2024. He became a first-time All-Star in his rookie season and then claimed the NL Rookie of the Year Award.
He followed those accomplishments with a second All-Star selection, leading the MLB in ERA, and winning the CY Young Award last season. As of this writing, Skenes still holds a winning record and is nearing 400 strikeouts for his young career for a Pirates team that has gotten off to a slow start at 3-3.
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On Thursday, Skenes was a special guest via video chat on the “Pat McAfee Show,” where he shared his thoughts on the use of the new ABS in MLB. Skenes had previously expressed concerns about the system, but admitted he’s changed his stance on it after seeing it in use.
“I wanna say last year I had more pitches in the zone get called balls against me than pitches that were balls get called strikes. So, now I’m all for it. I’ve totally flipped my stance on it. I’m all for it. It’s great,” he told McAfee.
He also indicated it “definitely helped the game,” and it has been “fun to watch” the challenges as they proceed.
The ABS is new to Major League Baseball this season after being tested in the minor leagues and during spring training. The system allows pitchers, batters, and catchers to challenge umpire calls for balls and strikes.
Each team gets two challenges per game, and keeps their total challenges after one is successful. However, once they get two challenges wrong, they lose their challenges for the game.
On Wednesday night, ABS helped the Baltimore Orioles win their game. Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo challenged the umpire’s ball call on Albaret Suarez’s pitch, and the call was overturned, becoming a strike and a game-winning strikeout. It was the first-ever game-ending challenge and Suarez’s first save in nine years.
Skenes was also on the mound for Pittsburgh’s 8-3 victory Wednesday night, receiving credit for the win after throwing five strikeouts across five innings and limiting the Cincinnati Reds’ lineup to just one run.
The Pirates’ ace also told McAfee that while he’s in favor of ABC, he has no plans to challenge any of the umpire calls, and will leave that up to the catcher behind the mound on his pitches.
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