Angels Finished Second in MLB in Runs Gained Through ABS Challenges

The Los Angeles Angels didn't have much to celebrate during their 100-loss season, but they were among baseball's best at taking advantage of a major rule change.

Despite their struggles, the Angels finished second among all 30 major league teams in estimated runs gained through the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system during its inaugural season.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Angels gained 14 runs in estimated value from overturned calls, trailing only the Cincinnati Reds, who led MLB at 16.8.

The Athletics ranked third at 12.3, followed by the Minnesota Twins at 10.1.

The results were particularly surprising considering the Angels finished 62-100, recording the first 100-loss season in franchise history.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won 100 games, ranked 26th with a minus-8.5 run value from ABS challenges.

Los Angeles challenged 369 ball-strike calls during the regular season, the 11th-most in baseball, and successfully overturned 53.7% of them.

That was close to the MLB-wide average of approximately 54%, but the Angels' successful challenges generated considerably more estimated run value than those of most other teams.

The 14-run figure represents the estimated impact of overturned calls on run expectancy, not 14 actual runs crossing home plate.

Several Angels hitters contributed to the team's performance.

Mike Trout embraced the new technology early in the season, challenging four calls during the Angels' first five games and winning three.

The three-time American League MVP eventually became more selective, challenging only 10 additional pitches during the remainder of the season.

He finished with a 64% success rate, winning nine of his 14 challenges.

Young Angels hitters Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel were also among the most active players in baseball when it came to requesting reviews.

Both ranked among MLB's top 10 in total challenges and finished with success rates of 56%, slightly better than the league-wide average.

Their willingness to challenge questionable calls reflected an approach manager Kurt Suzuki encouraged early in the season.

Suzuki said he didn't want to impose rigid restrictions on players who believed an umpire had missed a call.

"If you feel 100% strongly that it's a ball," Suzuki told The Athletic earlier this season, as quoted by the Los Angeles Times, "go ahead and challenge it."

Under the ABS challenge system introduced by MLB in 2026, teams begin each game with two challenges and retain them whenever a call is overturned.

Only the batter, pitcher or catcher can request a review, which is initiated by tapping a helmet or cap immediately after the pitch.

Across MLB, players challenged 10,557 calls during the regular season, with 5,686 overturned, according to the Associated Press.

Catchers had the highest success rate at 59%, compared with 49% for hitters and 40% for pitchers.

The Angels' success was one of the few bright spots in a season that ended with a franchise-record 100 losses and considerable uncertainty about the team's future.

The disappointing finish has raised questions about the organization's direction, with a potential labor lockout adding uncertainty to the offseason.

The team's overall performance also received a failing grade in ESPN's season-ending assessment.

But the ABS results showed that even one of baseball's worst teams could excel at an important part of the modern game.

It wasn't nearly enough to change the Angels' season, but it was one area where they outperformed almost everyone else.