Red Sox took advantage of MLB’s new automated strike challenge rules on Opening Day

“It can turn the game around, or has the ability to.”

Carlos Narvaez had one of the successful ABS challenges for Boston on Thursday. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

The Red Sox opened the 2026 season with a 3-0 win over the Reds thanks to a masterful outing from Garrett Crochet, three shutout innings from their bullpen, and timely hitting.

Oh, and MLB’s Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System.

The new system — commonly called the ABS Challenge System — gives players the chance to challenge an umpire’s ball-or-strike call in real time in order to reverse a critical call.

Each team begins a game with two challenges. If a challenge is successful — meaning the original call is overturned — the team keeps it. If the call stands, the challenge is lost, with only a batter, pitcher, or catcher given the ability to initiate a challenge over the course of a game.

The Red Sox made the most of the new challenge system on Thursday against the Reds.

While a challenge issued by catcher Carlos Narvaez helped secure a strikeout for Crochet in the fourth inning, Boston’s most critical challenge came in the ninth inning, with the Red Sox holding onto a slim 1-0 lead.

With two out and one on and Roman Anthony at the plate with a full count, the Red Sox star outfielder was rung up by home plate umpire Dan Iassogna on a called third strike.

Anthony immediately tapped his batting helmet to signal a challenge. The subsequent review revealed that the pitch was a few inches off the strike zone, reversing the call and rewarding Anthony with a walk.

That reversal allowed Boston to keep the inning alive, with Trevor Story following up Anthony with a two-out, RBI single that drove in Marcelo Mayer to make it a 2-0 game.

Jarren Duran closed out the scoring as the next man up — knocking a pitch into right field to score Anthony and give closer Aroldis Chapman a three-run cushion entering the bottom of the ninth.

“It’s a different ballgame now,” Alex Cora said postgame, per MassLive’s Sean McAdam. “If that’s a strikeout, it’s a 1-0 game with Chappy in the game, in this ballpark. And then we were able to add on, so it was a great challenge.”

The new ABS system should benefit batters with sharp plate discipline like Anthony, with the 21-year-old outfielder sporting a .396 OBP during his rookie season in 2025.

“That’s what he does,” Mayer told MLB Network of Anthony’s plate discipline and knowledge of the strike zone. “I mean, Roman, that’s why he’s at our lead-off spot. Roman does a great job of seeing pitches and getting on base, and that was a great example.

“He knows the zone really well, and he got a tough pitch. Tough pitch, won the call, and then we have great hitters behind him that are able to capitalize. So to have him up at the top of the lineup helps.”

Beyond his timely challenge, Anthony regularly set the table atop Boston’s lineup on Tuesday — going 3-for-4 at the plate and reaching base four total times.

Anthony might be at his best when he’s teeing off against pitches. But, his keen eye at the plate should also come in handy when picking the right spots to use ABS moving forward.

“You see it right there, it’s crucial,” Anthony told McAdam. “It can turn the game around, or has the ability to. You saw what happened after [his challenge], so it’s crucial to have [a challenge] there. I thought we did a good job of keeping them and maintaining them.”

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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