NEW YORK — Computer technology to appeal ball/strike calls could be in place for the 2026 regular season.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday use of the Automated Ball-Strike System was likely to be considered by the 11-man competition committee, which includes six management representatives.
During a spring training experiment in 288 games, teams were successful on 52.2 per cent of their ball/strike challenges using the Automated Ball-Strike System.
“I do think that we’re going to pursue the possibility of change in that process and we’ll see what comes out at the end of that,” he said. “The teams are really positive about ABS. I do have that unscientific system that I use: my email traffic. And my distinct impression is that using ABS in spring training has made people more prone to complain of balls and strike calls via email to me referencing the need for ABS.”
An experiment with a technology system to challenge checked-swing calls started in the Class A Florida State League on May 20. That is not under consideration for MLB use in 2026.
“I think we’ve got to get over the hump in terms of either doing ABS or not doing it before you’d get into the complication of a separate kind of challenge,” Manfred said.
Trump’s influence on Rose decision
President Donald Trump’s support of Pete Rose was among the factors Manfred weighed when he decided last month that permanent bans by the sport ended with death, which allows the career hits leader to be considered for the Hall of Fame.
Manfred announced the new interpretation on May 13, a decision that allows Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson to be considered for a Hall committee vote in December 2027.
“The president was one of a number of voices that was supportive of the idea that this was the right decision,” Manfred said Wednesday during a news conference at an owners meeting. “Obviously, I have respect for the office and the advice that he gave I paid attention to, but I had a lot of other people that were weighing in on the topic, as well.”
Rose and then-Commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti agreed to a permanent ban in August 1989 after an investigation commissioned by MLB concluded Rose repeatedly bet on the Reds as a player and manager for the team from 1985-87, a violation of a long-standing MLB rule. The Hall of Fame in 1991 decided people on the permanent banned list were ineligible for consideration.
“Those who really think about the reasons that I did it think that it is the right decision, and other people I think largely get confused with whether he’s going to be in the Hall of Fame or not and maybe don’t think that was so good,” Manfred said.
Baseball in 2028 Olympics
Baseball is returning to the Olympics in 2028 after being played from 1992 to 2008 and then in 2021.
MLB is considering whether to allow big league players to be used at the 2028 Games. It did not allow players on 40-man rosters to participate in the 2021 Olympics and many teams discouraged top eligible prospects from playing.
“We made some progress with LA 2028 in terms of what it could look like,” Manfred said. “We have some other business partners that we need to talk to about, changes that would need to be made in order to accommodate the Olympics. I think we’re going to go forward with that process.”
Manfred said the players’ union appears to be supportive.
Labour and possible salary cap proposal
A decision on MLB’s bargaining positions with the players’ association, including whether to propose a salary cap, will be made after this season. Bargaining is likely to start in the spring of 2026 for a successor to the five-year agreement with the union that ended a 99-day lockout on March 10, 2022. The deal expires on Dec. 1, 2026.
An ownership economic study committee was formed in early 2023, sparking speculation about a renewed push for a salary-cap system aimed at decreasing payroll disparity.
“Payroll disparity is such a fact of life among the ownership group that there’s not a lot of need for talking about whether we have it or not. Everybody kind of gets it,” Manfred said. “We understand that it has become a bigger problem for us, but there has not been a lot of conversation about that particular topic.”
When MLB proposed a cap in 1994, players struck for 7 1/2 months in 1994 and ’95, leading to the first cancellation of the World Series since 1904.
“Obviously, over the winter we’re going to have to decide what is going to be out there from our perspective, but no decisions on that topic so far,” Manfred said.
MLB hopes to reach a deal before the all-star break on a Sunday night national broadcast package and for the Home Run Derby to replace the agreement ESPN said in February it was ending after this season. Manfred said MLB is negotiating with three parties and is weighing traditional broadcasters and streaming services, who may pay more but have a smaller audience.
Manfred regrets giving ESPN the right to opt out, which is causing a negotiation for rights lasting three seasons. MLB’s contracts with Fox and Turner end after the 2028 season.
“If you’re talking about what we’re doing for the next three years, I would overweight reach,” Manfred said. “The larger negotiation we’ll have for the post-’28 period and we continue to believe that reach drives our live business.”
Tampa Bay hopes to return to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., next season after playing home games this year across the bay at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the New York Yankees’ spring training home.
The St. Petersburg City Council approved $22.5 million in April to repair the roof, destroyed by Hurricane Milton last Oct. 9. A new roof is being built in Germany and will be shipped to Florida.
“Repair of the stadium is moving along. We remain optimistic that we will be ready either for opening day or very shortly thereafter,” Manfred said. “Obviously, the big contingency is what happens with hurricane season.”
Athletics’ Las Vegas ballpark
A formal groundbreaking hasn’t taken place for the Athletics’ planned ballpark to open in 2028, though work is being done at the site and a ceremony could be held this month.
“My understanding is they believe they’re going to make opening day ’28,” Manfred said.
Attendance up slightly from 2024
Attendance averaged 28,081 through Tuesday and 900 dates, up 1.4 per cent from 27,687 through the same point last year, when MLB finished with a 0.9 per cent rise to 29,568 for its highest average since 30,042 in 2017. MLB could finish with an average increase in three straight years not impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic for the first time since 2004-07.
While MLB is not concerned about Trump administration tariffs raising the cost of big league baseballs, which are manufactured in Costa Rica, the impact on minor league balls is a concern.
“The minor league baseball is made in China. That’s more of an issue,” Manfred said.
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