J.T. Realmuto reacts to ABS challenge system
PHILADELPHIA — Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto thinks getting the big misses out is “good for the game.”
The 13-year veteran is still getting used to Major League Baseball’s new automated ball-strike system. New this year, catchers, batters and pitchers can challenge a ball or strike call by tapping the top of their head. Each team is granted two challenges in a nine-inning game. If a player correctly challenges the call, the team gets to retain their challenge. If a challenge is made and the call stands, teams will lose their challenge.
The Nationals, after two missed challenges in the first three innings, played most of a close game on Tuesday without challenges remaining. Catcher Keibert Ruiz tried to overturn a walk by challenging ball four in an at-bat against Alec Bohm in the second inning. The call, made by home plate umpire Marvin Hudson, stood, and Bohm was awarded first base.
In the third inning, Nationals first baseman Luis García Jr. challenged a strike three call. The pitch just clipped the lower part of the zone, ending the inning and leaving Washington without challenges.
It’s an exciting new wrinkle for baseball fans, particularly the ones in the stands. The challenge is shown live on the stadium replay video boards and fans can react in real time to a call being overturned or confirmed.
Phillies fans have popped for successful challenges from Realmuto, who did not challenge a pitch in Tuesday’s 3-2 win over the Nationals behind Andrew Painter’s excellent major league debut. Realmuto is 3-for-3 on challenges from behind the plate through five games.
“They seem to love it,” Realmuto said postgame. “It seems like the most excited they get during the game is for an overturned call. It kind of brings a little comedic relief to the game.”
Having a veteran catcher with an advanced feel for the strike zone could be a huge advantage in the era of ABS.
But the challenge system, according to Realmuto, adds to the many responsibilities of a starting catcher. Already handling the bulk of the prep work and film study for starting pitchers, Realmuto is also tasked with thinking along with the home plate umpire. So far, it appears he’s a pretty damn good one.
“It’s tough,” Realmuto said. “It feels like more work for the catchers because you feel like you have to do two jobs. I think it’s good for the game. It’s going to help hitters in the long run, but I think it’s good for the game to get those misses out and to be able to overturn those.”
A big reason why Realmuto is back on a three-year deal is because the Phillies see him the leader of the pitching staff. Few are better than him at making adjustments in-game and navigating a pitcher through an outing.
The ABS challenge system gives him one more thing to think about.
“It creates a little more stress on my night where I’m constantly second guessing, having to think about every single pitch that we go through. But overall, I like it for the game.”