Max Scherzer Voices Concerns Over ABS System in Spring Debut

Veteran pitcher Max Scherzer made his debut with the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, marking his first appearance under Major League Baseball's automated ball-strike (ABS) system. Despite a sharp two-inning performance against the St. Louis Cardinals, where he struck out four batters, Scherzer faced frustration with two robot challenges that transformed strikes into balls. His skepticism of the ABS system was clear. "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. So what are we actually changing here?"

​The ABS system, currently being tested in major league spring training after extensive trials in the minors, has sparked debate among players and coaches. Scherzer added, "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." He also expressed a desire to return to traditional human judgment, stating, "Can we just play baseball? We're humans. Can we just be judged by humans? Do we really need to disrupt the game?"