New MLB rule makes appearance in Cubs’ Opening Day game

A new MLB rule on the books for the 2026 season made its first impact on a Chicago Cubs game as they took on the Washington Nationals Thursday.

For the first time this season, Major League Baseball will use what it calls the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System, allowing pitchers, catchers and batters to challenge ball-strike calls at the plate.

Each team gets two challenges per game for those calls, and the Nationals wasted little time in using their first one, as the review process made its debut in the first inning.

With Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman at the plate, Cade Cavalli threw a pitch that the home plate umpire ruled had missed the outside corner.

Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz immediately tapped his helmet to signal a challenge of the call, and the umpire’s call was ultimately reversed as the ABS system showed the pitch had clipped the corner.

Bregman ultimately grounded out to shortstop to end the at-bat.

Unfortunately for the Nationals, they weren’t the first team to execute a successful ABS challenge. That distinction will go to New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez, who challenged a ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates that was overturned to a strike during a game Thursday afternoon.