While Major League Baseball continues to tinker with advanced technology, Arizona Diamondbacks ace Corbin Burnes sees an issue. In 1519, English schoolteacher William Horman translated the Latin quote “Necessity is the mother of invention.” Baseball, for whatever reason, believed that technical innovation would bring the game to the next level.
From the pitch clock to the universal designated hitter, the power structure of the sport continuously attempts to perfect a game. The sport started as flawed in the 1880s, yet it has managed to thrive for over 140 years after its inception. A former Cy Young winner spotted an issue with an innovation set to make its debut in 2026.
Corbin Burnes Voices Apprehension Regarding Computerized Umpiring System Before 2026 Launch
Normally, pitchers and umpires maintain a respectful yet occasionally tense relationship. However, in a wholly unexpected change of course, Burnes went to bat regarding the umpires. Next year, baseball will introduce technology, the Automated Ball-Strike System, or ABS, into regular gameplay.
This system will make its full debut next year as a challenge system for balls and strikes. In a perfect world, you’d expect a computer-based system to possess a strong degree of pinpoint accuracy. As Burnes found out as a player rep, the ABS owns a half-inch margin of error. Meaning, the ABS could call close balls strikes and vice versa. According to this article from The Athletic, the four-time All-Star seems worried, stating:
“There is a margin for error that I think fans don’t realize, that a lot of players didn’t realize. If we can’t get something we feel is 100 percent accurate, why even take the job out of a guy’s hands who has been doing it for 20 years behind the plate?”
For as much criticism as umpires receive for perceived blown calls, they are human, which makes them naturally imperfect. However, investing time and money in flawed tech. Under those circumstances, MLB trains umpires who enter the minor leagues with high school and amateur experiences. Why not lean on them to actually keep the status quo?
Save for a couple of plays in the postseason over the century, umpires step up and perform well in the clutch. Imagine the ABS affecting the playoff spot, and what the fallout would be. For instance, last season, the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves played pretty much a play-in series at the end of last season. Although the percentage of error resides in the neighborhood of .01%, that could mean the difference between advancing and going home.
To his credit, Burnes wants the game officiated in the best possible fashion. The ABS challenge system is not perfect, and unlike umpires, it needs to be. Technology needs to be infallible. Fans fork over good money to watch their favorite teams compete in what they hope is a crisp game in both pace and call accuracy. Burnes can effect long-lasting change if he prompts MLB to fix the bugs.