MLB’s ABS challenge system test was used for the first time.
The Cubs — or, more accurately, a bunch of miscellaneous guys wearing Cubs uniforms — defeated the Dodgers in the 2025 Spring Training opener 12-4 Thursday afternoon in Glendale, Arizona.
That wasn’t the most important story of the game, as you surely know that Spring Training wins and losses are pretty well meaningless.
More important was the inauguration of MLB’s ABS (automatic ball-strike) challenge system, which is being tested in many ballparks this spring.
It happened in the bottom of the first inning. The count was 0-1 on Max Muncy, and Cubs righthander Cody Poteet threw a pitch that was called ball one.
When the ball hits Reese McGuire’s mitt, you can see that it’s pretty close to the strike zone. And so Poteet immediately signaled for a challenge review. The signal is touching his cap. Plate umpire Tony Randazzo announced to the Camelback Ranch crowd that the pitch was being challenged. The video, shown to TV viewers and on the video board at the ballpark, clearly showed the pitch was in the strike zone and thus the count became 0-2. Eventually, Muncy was called out on strikes, the first K of this spring [VIDEO].
The challenge system worked exactly the way it’s supposed to work. The challenge was made quickly — umpires are apparently supposed to deny it if it’s not made within a couple of seconds — and the entire thing took only a few seconds more than that.
It’s kind of ironic that Muncy was the batter involved in this play, because:
Max Muncy visibly disagrees on balls and strikes calls as much as anyone in the league so Dave Roberts forbid him from using the ABS challenge system today.
The cubs used the first ABS challenge during a Muncy at-bat and got a ball call changed to a strike lmao
— Molly Knight (@mollyknight.bsky.social) 2025-02-20T20:39:20.453Z
(Click here for the Bluesky post above if you are reading this article on Apple News)
In any case, the game continued and I’d rate the first official MLB ball and strike challenge a success. We’ll see this continue for the rest of Spring Training and then MLB will analyze the data collected.
Poteet wound up throwing a good first inning and then ran out of gas in the second, giving up a two-run homer to Eddie Rosario and wild-pitching in a third run. It would seem to me that if Poteet does make this team’s bullpen, he’ll be a one-inning guy.
The Cubs had three hits, all singles, off Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was relieved after 27 pitches.
Then they put six on the board in the third off Bobby Miller and Justin Jarvis. Miller had to leave the game because of this scary moment [VIDEO].
You can see Michael Busch, who hit the ball, hesitate after Miller got hit — these two were Dodger teammats. Then Busch realized he needed to finish the play. Fortunately, Miller left the field under his own power and appeared to be okay as he departed, so that’s good news.
Vidal Bruján, who had walked leading off the inning, scored. Moises Ballesteros walked, and Kevin Alcántara scored Busch with a single. Nicky Lopez then walked to load the bases, and McGuire doubled in two runs to give the Cubs a 4-3 lead.
A ground out by Christian Franklin and single by James Triantos scored one run each and the Cubs completed the third with a 6-3 lead.
Non-roster righthander Brad Keller threw 1⅔ scoreless innings and after that, Gage Workman smacked this two-run homer in the fifth to make it 8-3 [VIDEO].
Workman showed good power to the opposite field — in addition to that homer, he also doubled to left earlier in the game. I think the Rule 5 pick from the Tigers has a reasonable chance to make the Opening Day roster. He also showed some glove in this game [VIDEO].
Daniel Palencia and Jack Neely threw scoreless innings, which was good, and Palencia touched 100 miles per hour a couple of times. Example:
Daniel Palencia, 101.3 mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/JOq2zjfC9T
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 20, 2025
Both of these pitchers could be useful guys on the Iowa Shuttle. I don’t think either of them makes the Opening Day roster.
After that it was pretty much minor leaguers finishing up the game. Of interest, former Cubs prospect Zyhir Hope, who went to the Dodgers in the Busch trade last year, made two pretty slick catches [VIDEO].
Also, last year’s Cubs seventh-round pick out of UC Santa Barbara, outfielder Ivan Brethowr, slammed a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the eighth to complete the Cubs scoring.
A second challenge was made in the eighth inning, and again, it took only a few seconds. The challenge system really is working exactly as designed.
One last note: The Cubs officially announced the signing of Justin Turner late Thursday and assigned him No. 3. Here’s what he said about that:
Turner, on choosing No. 3 with the Cubs after wearing No. 2 the past few years ⤵️
— Jordan Bastian (@bastianmlb.bsky.social) 2025-02-20T22:49:26.544Z
(Click here for the Bluesky post above if you are reading this article on Apple News)
More from Turner (worth reading the entire thread):
Justin Turner, on signing with the Cubs ⤵️
— Jordan Bastian (@bastianmlb.bsky.social) 2025-02-20T22:46:11.030Z
(Click here for the Bluesky post above if you are reading this article on Apple News)
Friday afternoon, these two teams will meet again at Sloan Park as the Cubs play their spring home opener. Jordan Wicks will start for the Cubs and Tony Gonsolin will go for the Dodgers. Game time is again 2:05 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network, with a radio broadcast on 670 The Score.