Major League Baseball (MBL) commissioner Rob Manfred said that the robot umpires or the so-called Automated Strike Zone System will be coming in 2024.

Following ESPN's interview on Wednesday, June 29, Manfred said that the new robotic system would help avoid errors in the calls of MLB's umpires. This would further improve the overall experience during the match.

MLB Robot Umpires

(Photo : Jakob Rosen from Unsplash)
Robot umpires would change the baseball game forever when it comes to officiating in MLB.

Sometimes, referees in baseball or umpires commit many mistakes in their calls. If there's a challenge between the two teams, a replay system will be enabled to see what really happened at the time.

Following the numerous missed calls in the recently-concluded games, some fans grew disappointed with the umpires, especially during the latest match between the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers.

Jamal Spencer, a Sports Director at WZZM13, tweeted out that the league should give the "robo umps" already, as Engadget spotted.

This is not the first time that MLB has brought robot umpires to the table. The biggest baseball league in the world has been testing its capability since 2019 but in the Atlantic Triple-A league (minor league.)

The robot makes use of Trackman's doppler radar system. The company is commonly known for its technologies that measure the golf ball's speed.

Using Trackman's technology, the automated strike zone system can easily detect the exact location of the pitch. Additionally, it also immediately determines if the throw is a strike or ball.

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Robot Umps Won't Come in 2023

It's sad to know that fans need to wait at least two years to see the efficiency of robot umpires in spotting calls in MLB. This most-awaited system could change the landscape of the game forever when it comes to officiating.

Of course, looking for potential calls is a bit tricky for an umpire, especially if the ball is thrown at 100mh. Having said that, officiating is not an easy task, and it's not for everyone.

Since it's difficult for people to do this job, many fans believe that using robot umpires will be smoother since machines render fewer mistakes than humans.

As per MLB data, the Atlantic league matches have been relying on mechanical systems for a while. In doing so, the games are "mercifully shorter" compared to the major league tussles.

Manfred said that the robot umpires will not arrive in 2023. The competition committee is expected to discuss more information about its implementation. It must be approved before being officially added to the league's improvements.

Last year, Japan showcased its three-point shooting robot. The robot named CUE was spotted shooting the ball from an unbelievable distance. The machine managed to score even from the half-court.

What's more, is that this robot's shot never misses. If this robot joined any team in the NBA, it could have won the three-point shooting contest during the All-Star weekend.

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Written by Joseph Henry