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Jesse Rogers
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Chicago Cubs pitcher Cody Poteet became the first player to challenge a ball/strike call in a major league game when he asked for a review of a fastball to Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Max Muncy in the bottom of the first inning of their opening spring game Thursday.
Poteet, acquired from the New York Yankees for Cody Bellinger over the winter, thought the low fastball caught the corner of the plate, but plate umpire Tony Randazzo disagreed, calling it a ball. Per MLB rules this spring, Poteet tapped his head indicating he wanted a review, and quickly the pitch and its location were shown on the scoreboard. The call was reversed, and instead of a 1-1 count, Muncy fell to 0-2 before striking out.
“I was pretty positive it was strike and the umpire balled it,” Muncy said afterward. “I knew it was going to get overturned, and I went, ‘Oh, man, I’m going to be the first one.’ Great.”
Major League Baseball is testing its automatic ball and strike system for the first time during spring training after several years of using it in the minor leagues.
Instead of robots calling every pitch, teams can challenge two calls per game with the ability to retain a successful challenge. Only the pitcher, catcher or hitter can challenge a call and must do so without help from the dugout. Tapping their head is the indication they want to challenge a call.
Poteet spent time in the minors last season and so was familiar with the system.
“I thought it caught a good part of the plate,” he said. “So thought it was worth using one of them. It’s nice to know that it was a strike and not to be the first one to get it wrong, I guess.”
Later in the game, Dodgers batter Sean McLain challenged a ball call, but it was upheld. That ratio — one overturned and one upheld — matches the split in the minors, where 50% of calls were overturned. Games there averaged about four challenges per contest, though Thursday’s had only two.
Muncy was asked whether the system could work at the major league level during the regular season and postseason. The league has already stated it won’t implement it past spring training this year but could as soon as 2026.
“I think the idea is very interesting of it to me,” Muncy said. “I feel like you have to be a hundred percent certain to challenge.”
Five stadiums in Arizona and eight in Florida will have the technology for the challenge system, and 60% of Cactus and Grapefruit league games will feature it. MLB will poll players and coaches after the spring in order to help determine if or when the system will become permanent in the big leagues.
“I feel like every strike matters … so I thought it was a good time to use it today,” Poteet said.
The Cubs beat the Dodgers 12-4. The teams have a rematch Friday before playing each other again to open the season in Japan in March.
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