The Los Angeles Dodgers are beginning to move from experimentation to intention as they adapt to Major League Baseball’s Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system.

One of the more memorable moments of the spring came when pitcher Ryder Ryan tapped his cap to challenge a call at American Family Fields of Phoenix.

Believing his pitch had caught the zone, Ryan instead watched the replay show it missed by more than an inch. Home plate umpire Bill Miller humorously confirmed the miss, drawing laughs from the crowd.

That sequence reflected a broader trend for the Dodgers this spring: Learning through trial and error. Entering late camp action, the club ranked near the bottom of the league in successful challenges, both offensively and defensively.

But improvement has started to show. In a narrow win over the San Diego Padres, hitters Andy Pages, Miguel Rojas, and Teoscar Hernández each successfully overturned calls, signaling progress.

According to Dodgers beat reporter Sonja Chen of MLB.com, for most of camp, the Dodgers prioritized understanding the system rather than maximizing results. Only recently did the team formalize a clearer plan for how and when to use challenges.

That shift is expected to lead to smarter decision-making moving forward. Rojas noted that hitters initially hesitated, often deferring to catchers or saving challenges, but growing clarity should help boost efficiency.

Certain players have already stood out. Alex Call has excelled at the plate when challenging, a reflection of his disciplined approach and experience refining his strike-zone awareness through virtual training tools.

Meanwhile, catcher Seby Zavala has been perfect in his challenges behind the plate, benefiting from his vantage point and prior exposure to ABS in the Minors.

Zavala emphasized the difference in perspective, explaining that catchers can better anticipate pitch location, while hitters must react to deception. His familiarity with the system, dating back to earlier testing phases, has helped him quickly adjust.

Manager Dave Roberts believes the technology is already improving overall accuracy, noting a steady rise in umpiring consistency. Even so, the Dodgers remain somewhat guarded about their long-term strategy.

What is clear is that hitters will continue using challenges to better understand the strike zone, and the team intends to preserve opportunities for critical late-game situations.

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