Scherzer 'skeptical' of ABS challenges: Umps are 'really good'

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer has reservations about the Automated Ball-Strike System challenges that Major League Baseball is testing during spring training.

"I'm a little skeptical on this," Scherzer said Tuesday after his first spring start, according to Jayson Stark of The Athletic. "I get what we're trying to do here, but I think major-league umpires are really good. They're really good. So, what are we actually changing here? 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."

The three-time Cy Young winner added: "Can we just play baseball? We're humans. Can we just be judged by humans? Do we really need to disrupt the game? I think humans are defined by humans."

Scherzer had two ABS challenges go against him while facing the St. Louis Cardinals. The 40-year-old saw a strike changed to a ball in the first inning during an at-bat against Lars Nootbaar and then had a ball remain a ball when he faced JJ Wetherholt in the second after the veteran thought the home-plate umpire missed a call on a breaking pitch.

"They always say curveballs will clip the bottom of the zone, and I saw (Alejandro Kirk) kind of grab it," Scherzer said, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. "Whether it was a ball or strike, in that moment I wanted to know, because each catcher has their own individual strike zone - is that actually at the bottom of the zone? - (and) get live feedback of knowing that's actually below the zone based on his setup. So, it dials you into where you're actually trying to deliver the ball to the catcher."

ABS challenges will be implemented in Triple-A this season and could arrive in the majors by 2026. Teams are allowed two player-initiated challenges per game but won't lose one if the call is successfully overturned.