Recent broadcasts of Major League Baseball (MLB) games on Netflix have stirred up quite the conversation among fans. Reactions varied widely, with some viewers appreciating the new format while others pointed out noteworthy oversights.
One glaring example was the debut of the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS) during a regular season game. Unfortunately, the Netflix broadcast missed this groundbreaking moment because it chose to feature an ongoing interview with the San Francisco Giants manager.
For those unfamiliar, the ABS allows batters to immediately contest a call made by the umpire. When a challenge occurs, a graphic displaying the strike zone and the ball’s location is shown to everyone, both at the ballpark and at home. This system gives players a chance to challenge significant calls that could impact the game.
Francisco Alvarez wins an ABS challenge to overturn a called strike three to ball four pic.twitter.com/1x2r9poFOh
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 28, 2026
Teams begin each game with two challenge opportunities. If they successfully overturn a call, they retain one of those challenges.
What transpired during the Yankees-Giants matchup? Yankees shortstop José Caballero issued a challenge to a strike call in the fourth inning. He made the challenge sign by tapping his helmet. The initial call, a pitch that grazed the right corner of the strike zone, remained unchanged after the challenge.
Jose Caballero lost the first challenge in MLB history pic.twitter.com/gpvrqRn3bQ
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) March 26, 2026
The Netflix broadcast failed to relay any information regarding the challenge. The anticipated graphics that were shown during spring training were nowhere to be found, and the moment went unacknowledged as the interview continued uninterrupted.
The only hint of a challenge taking place was some muffled audio from the public address system that bled into the broadcast. Finally, the play-by-play team commented on the event after the interview had concluded.
While the Yankees-Giants game may have glossed over a significant challenge, another match showcased the rule change seamlessly. The Mets managed to utilize the ABS correctly when they challenged a call after Freddy Peralta faced off against Pirates batter Oneil Cruz.
The original ruling was a ball, which allowed Cruz to reach first base. However, after the Mets challenged the call, it was switched to a strike, resulting in Cruz’s third strike and sending him back to the dugout.
