WWTBAM Bored

This season marks the debut of the robot umpire, who is available to check ball/strike calls. The system has been streamlined to minimize downtime waiting for calls to be verified. Each team gets two unsuccessful challenges for the entire game. Only the pitcher, catcher, and batter can challenge a call, and they must do so immediately after the pitch. If the challenge is unsuccessful, the team loses one of its remaining challenges. If the challenge is successful, the team keeps the challenge and could theoretically challenge dozens of pitches during the game. Once a pitch is challenged, it is replayed on the stadium video board (and TV broadcast) immediately so the entire stadium can see what happened. The strike zone is determined by a batter's height, not by his stance at the plate.

The system was in effect during spring training, and an average of 4.32 calls per game were challenged, slightly more than half of which were successful. Challenges by the defense were more likely to be successful than those by the batter.