Major League Baseball has undergone some radical rule changes since 2023 and it looks like that trend is likely to continue with MLB testing a new challenge system for balls and strikes in spring training next year. If successful, pitchers, hitters and catchers will finally have the ability to have balls and strikes reviewed, a move largely attributable in part to the increased scrutiny of umpires' performances behind the plate on social media.
Baseball fans are still adjusting to a number of rule changes implemented over the last couple of seasons, with the pitch clock, larger bases, starting extra innings with a runner on second base, and the crackdown on defensive shifts all still divisive additions to the rulebook for many fans.
The move toward strike zone automation and challenging balls and strikes is the latest measure under review by MLB and could become commonplace as early as the 2026 season. With spring training still quite a ways off, it's hard to understand the effect the challenge system could have on the way MLB catchers call ball games in the future. Digging a little bit deeper, it could have an added benefit for catchers who struggle in one crucial area behind the plate.
Latest update on automatic strike zone is good news for Phillies' J.T. Realmuto
While MLB continues to expand technology and add more oversight to the human elements of the game, the advantages to pitchers and hitters using the challenge system are pretty obvious. Even less obvious is how it will affect catchers like Phillies backstop J.T. Realmuto, who built his reputation on being elite at controlling the running game, while capably handling the everyday duties of managing an MLB pitching staff.
The only flaw that has seemingly followed Realmuto behind the plate over his 11-year MLB career is in the area of pitch framing. Realmuto has struggled to steal a strike at times for his pitchers, a problem created by not moving his mitt into the zone quick enough to fool an umpire, and a look at his Statcast numbers this past season reflects that deficit.
Among eligible MLB catchers this past season ranked by Baseball Savant for pitch framing using the Catcher Framing Runs model, Realmuto is pretty far down the list at No. 45, eight spots behind fellow teammate Garrett Stubbs who was ranked No. 37.
It's not a common statistic often measured by baseball fans, so here's how Baseball Savant measures the Catcher Framing Runs model:
"Catcher Framing Runs converts strikes to runs saved on a .125 run/strike basis, and includes park and pitcher adjustments. To qualify, a catcher must receive 6 called pitches per team game."
If all of that didn't give you a popsicle headache, it breaks down to a run value placed on the ability to frame pitches, and ranked at No. 45, it's pretty clear that Realmuto's -2 rating sits a healthy distance from the +16 rating of top-rated catcher Patrick Bailey of the San Francisco Giants.
Realmuto's strike rate was also measured, ranking No. 37 at 45.2 percent. Bailey once again topped all MLB backstops at 52.5 percent, a result that points to Bailey's pitch-framing skills as being simply elite.
With the automated strike zone still in the experimental stage in the minor leagues and independent baseball, the challenge system looks to be the first rule likely to find its way onto the field. While Realmuto's pitch-framing struggles are obvious, his knowledge of the strike zone could help remedy some of those missed strike calls thanks to having a challenge system in place.
At the very least, Realmuto and other catchers would be able to call for a review of a borderline pitch and, if successful, get their respective team a couple of strike calls back each game.
With the challenge system still under intense scrutiny and analysis by MLB officials, watching it applied come February in spring training will be an interesting subplot compared to the usual position battles and "best shape of my life" sound bytes from players and agents that typically dominate the late-winter news cycle.
It's all speculation at this point, but the challenge system could have a positive impact when it comes to analyzing catchers like J.T. Realmuto's pitch-framing abilities. It's long overdue.