MLB won’t adopt robot umpires to call balls and strikes by 2025, says Rob Manfred WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio [Video]

Major League Baseball won’t implement an automated ball-strike system for home plate umpires by the 2025 season, according to commissioner Rob Manfred.

So-called “robot umpires” were among several topics addressed by the MLB commissioner during a news conference following an owners meeting on Thursday, the Associated Press reported.

As Manfred explained, the automated ball-strike system (ABS) hasn’t developed as MLB would prefer since using the system in the minor leagues since 2019.

“We still have some technical issues,” said Manfred. “We haven’t made as much progress in the minor leagues this year as we sort of hoped at this point. I think it’s becoming more and more likely that this will not be a go for ’25.”

Manfred went on to explain that there’s growing sentiment among MLB playersthat the automated ball and strike calls should first be implemented through a challenge system, which would still require umpires to rule on calls behind the plate and continue to reward …