Feb 25, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning of a spring training game at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

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“Can we just be judged by humans?” – Max Scherzer rips MLB ball-strike challenge system

"I think humans are defined by humans"

MLB has been experimenting with replay technology for over 15 years, but the introduction of the automated ball-strike challenge system (ABS) has drawn strong criticism from one of the game’s most decorated pitchers – Max Scherzer.

While ABS isn’t a fully automated strike zone, it does reduce some of the human elements in the game, such as pitch framing and even the natural occurrence of human error – both of which have long been part of baseball’s charm. Instead of making umpires obsolete, MLB has opted for a challenge-based system, allowing teams to strategically question calls rather than fully handing over control to the technology.

But Max Scherzer isn’t a fan.

Max Scherzer vs. ABS

Making his spring training debut for the Toronto Blue Jays, Scherzer found himself on the wrong end of the ABS system twice during Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Max Scherzer got his first ABS challenge wrong and decided he’s gonna hate it forever pic.twitter.com/R3JBOecGFn https://t.co/Eav66cRr7B
— Goldschmidt Happened (@GoldyHappens) February 25, 2025

The first instance came in the second inning when Lars Nootbaar challenged a 1-1 pitch initially called a strike. Upon review, the system determined the pitch was actually 2.3 inches outside the zone, overturning the call in Nootbaar’s favor.

An inning later, Scherzer attempted to challenge a low ball call to JJ Wetherholt, believing his pitch had clipped the zone. However, the challenge was denied, leaving the three-time Cy Young winner visibly frustrated.

After the game, Scherzer didn’t hold back.

“I’m a little skeptical on this,” Scherzer told The Athletic. “I get what we’re trying to do here, but I think major league umpires are really good. They’re really good. So what are we actually changing here?”

“We know there are going to be strikes that are changed to balls, and balls that are changed to strikes. So we’re going to basically be even. So are we actually going to improve the game? Are the umpires really that bad? I don’t think so.”

“Can we just play baseball?” Scherzer added. “We’re humans. Can we just be judged by humans? Do we really need to disrupt the game? I think humans are defined by humans.”

The future of ABS in MLB

MLB has been testing ABS in the minor leagues for years, and its introduction into spring training is a sign that the league is getting closer to implementing it at the highest level. While some players and teams appreciate the ability to challenge ball-strike calls, others, like Scherzer, believe it disrupts the flow of the game without truly improving it.

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Scherzer made it clear he’s not entirely against the concept, but he remains skeptical about whether it’s actually necessary.

“I get what we’re trying to do, but I’m skeptical of what the results will actually be.”

"The call is surprisingly correct." 🤣

(MLB x @TMobile) pic.twitter.com/jtDwTzchYQ
— MLB (@MLB) February 25, 2025

With MLB continuing its push toward technology-driven officiating, Scherzer’s comments highlight a growing debate: Should baseball embrace automation, or is the human element something that should never be replaced?

At the same time, there’s no harm in adding a layer of strategy to the game while reducing human error. And for those worried about immediate changes, ABS won’t be coming to the regular season until 2026 at the earliest – assuming the experiment proves successful in 2025 spring training.

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Max Scherzer

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Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.