hawaiitribune_herald
The automated ball-strike challenge system has rapidly evolved from a novelty to a necessity in Major League Baseball. Within months, the simple tap on the head has become as ubiquitous as home runs and the seventh-inning stretch, giving teams a powerful tool to contest umpire calls.
By the midpoint of the 2026 season, every one of the 30 clubs had made at least 150 challenges. However, not all challenges are equal; some teams and players have proven far more adept at using the system effectively.
Catchers have emerged as the primary challengers, though a handful of hitters have also aggressively utilized the technology. Data from the website Tap to Challenge, combined with player interviews, reveals how teams, players, and umpires have fared through July 12.
Team Performance and Reluctance
The Cincinnati Reds lead MLB in challenge success rate at 64.4%, a remarkable turnaround given manager Terry Francona's initial skepticism during spring training in 2025. At that time, Francona dismissed the system, saying, 'I don't want to make a farce of anything, but we're here getting ready for a season, and that's not helping us get ready.' Despite their high win percentage, the Reds are not the most aggressive challengers. That distinction belongs to the Minnesota Twins, who challenged 270 pitches—25 more than the next-closest team, the Colorado Rockies.
In contrast, the San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers, and Arizona Diamondbacks are the only clubs yet to reach the 175-challenge threshold. San Diego's reluctance is particularly notable; after ranking in the middle of the pack with 50 challenges on April 25, they added just 124 more over the next 83 days. Meanwhile, Boston, despite its low challenge count, has been baseball's best team since July 1.
Umpire Accuracy and Overturn Rates
The challenge system has highlighted both the difficulty of umpiring and the overall high accuracy of officials. Of the 91 umpires who have worked behind home plate, 90 boast an accuracy rating of 91.2% or better. Only C.B. Bucknor falls below that mark, at 88.9%. Andy Fletcher leads in overturn rate at 72.5%, with 37 calls overturned in 51 challenges, followed by Todd Tichenor (66.2%) and Stu Scheurwater (63.8%). At the other end, Louie Krupa (33.3%), Derek Thomas (34.6%), and Dexter Kelley (36.4%) have the lowest overturn rates.
Reds rookie Sal Stewart praised the umpires, stating, 'These umpires have a really, really, really difficult job. I only have to know my zone; they need to know the whole league's zone. This system, it's not easy. They have to know a lot of people, different heights.'
Catchers Dominate Challenges
One of the biggest preseason questions was which player on each 26-man roster would have the authority to challenge. The answer has overwhelmingly been catchers. Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson leads all players with a 74.2% success rate, winning 66 of 89 challenges. Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals is close behind at 71.4% (45 of 63), while Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler has a 69.2% rate (54 of 78).
Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman, who won 57 of 90 challenges (63.3%), shared his strategy: 'I feel like one thing that I've done well this year is knowing the pitchers' shapes and how they enter the zone. So guys with weird arm slots or they throw from a funky angle... I try my best to challenge the pitch shapes. So if it's a slider away from the righty, there's probably a better chance it's running away from the zone, or if there's a sinker coming back to the zone, there's a better chance that's going to be a strike. It's kind of like one of those things you kind of learn as you go.'
Dingler, a first-time All-Star, emphasized the need for fearlessness: 'If you think it's a strike, rip it. That was one of the biggest things that kind of helped me with that, because you kind of hesitate. You don't want to burn them. You don't want to make somebody mad that doesn't get to use it later in the game. But generally speaking, if I think it's a strike right away and I have a good feeling about it, it's usually a strike.'
Position Players Hold Their Own
While catchers dominate, several position players have also excelled. Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes leads noncatchers with a 91.7% success rate, winning 11 of 12 challenges. Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Davis Schneider is 11 for 14 (78.6%), and the Astros' Jose Altuve is 15 for 21 (71.4%). Rookies like Kevin McGonigle (13 of 19, 68.4%) and Sal Stewart have also performed well.
Stewart, drafted in 2022, benefited from experience with the system in the minors. 'I had it even in Low-A a few times, so I'm more comfortable with it,' he said. 'I've had it for a few years already, so it's definitely helped me.' McGonigle attributes his success to a keen eye: 'Just knowing the zone, studying the pitchers and where they like to go with certain pitches, and just getting a good feel for the zone.'
The expansion of the challenge system beyond Triple-A into the Arizona Fall League and spring training should ease the transition for future rookies. 'I think it's going to help a lot of guys,' McGonigle added.
Memorable Mishaps
The system has also produced its share of humorous lowlights. Before the All-Star break, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Alex Call wasted both of his team's challenges in the second inning, with only one pitch worth contesting. Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena similarly burned all of his team's challenges in the first inning on pitches nowhere near the zone. New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. famously began removing his gear to head to first base after what he thought was ball four, only to see the call stand as a strike.
Originally reported by hawaiitribune_herald.