Game-Changer: Cubs Pitcher Triumphs in First Ever ABS Challenge with Robot Umpires in Spring Training

PHOENIX — Cody Poteet just made a significant mark in baseball history. In a big-league spring training game, he became the first player to successfully challenge a ball-strike call.

It all happened during his first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Poteet threw a 95 mph fastball that he felt was right at Max Muncy’s knees. When the home-plate umpire, Tony Randazzo, called it a ball, Poteet didn’t hesitate. He tapped his cap to challenge the call.

The video board confirmed his pitch was indeed inside the strike zone, changing the count from 1-1 to 0-2. Muncy ended up striking out on the next three pitches.

“I knew it was a strike right away. When he called it a ball, I was ready to challenge,” Muncy said. “Then I saw Cody tapping his head and thought, ‘I’m going to be the first one to use this!’”

In this new challenge system, only the hitter, pitcher, or catcher can request a review, with each team allowed two challenges per game. As of now, human umpires still make all the calls. MLB noted that the average challenge takes about 17 seconds.

“It’s a great idea. It doesn’t slow down the game,” Muncy commented. “The slowest part was just getting the microphone to work!”

This technology had previously been tested in the minor leagues, and Thursday was its debut at this level, with hopes for broader use in 2026. Both players had some familiarity with it. Poteet participated in trials with the New York Yankees Triple-A team, while Muncy observed it during a rehab assignment.

“In Triple-A, the technology wasn’t perfect,” Muncy recalled. “I’d see pitches on the board that didn’t match where they actually were. But the concept is really exciting.”

The second challenge of the day came in the eighth inning when Cubs catcher Pablo Aliendo tried to argue that a pitch from Frankie Scalzo Jr. was a strike against Sean McClain. But this challenge was unsuccessful; the pitch was 1.6 inches too high.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed optimism about the system. “They’re trying to find the right number of challenges for a major-league game. It’s great to see players using it because you want to get calls right, especially in crucial moments.”

Afterward, there was some laughter in the dugout. The Dodgers had a team meeting before the game, and Muncy was humorously banned from using the challenge. “Freddie Freeman joked that I was banned from challenging,” Muncy said. “But of course, I was the one who ended up being the first to do it.”

“When I got back, Freddie was just laughing at me,” he added, shaking his head at the irony.

(Photo: Ashley Landis / Associated Press)