MLB Innovates: Challenges to Checked Swings with Hawk-Eye Technology
Major League Baseball (MLB) takes a bold step towards technological innovation, implementing a challenge system for “checked swings” in the Florida State League (Class A), starting Tuesday.
This new system, which uses Hawk-Eye technology, will allow teams, both offensively and defensively, to challenge calls on checked swings.
The decision will be based on the angle of the bat. A swing will be considered if the bat head exceeds 45 degrees with respect to the knob, aligning with the first base line for right-handed batters and the third base line for left-handed batters. If the angle is less than 45 degrees, it will be marked as “no swing”.
Each team will have the opportunity for a successful challenge. In case of failure, they will lose the right to continue challenging. The determination of the maximum bat angle, made by Hawk-Eye, will be displayed on the stadium screen.
It is important to note that the defensive team may still ask the home plate umpire to review the “no swing” call with the first base umpire (for right-handed batters) or third base umpire (for left-handed batters), without needing to use the challenge.
This system was already tested in some games of the Arizona Fall League last year, at Salt River Fields.
Although the official rules of baseball do not specifically define the “checked swing”, they do refer to appeals in relation to this type of play.
MLB also experimented with the Automated Strike-Ball System using Hawk-Eye during 288 spring training games this year, with teams winning 52.2% of their ball/strike challenges. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred has mentioned the possibility, but not the certainty, of its implementation in the 2026 regular season.
