As I always say, two things can be true at the same time. And in this case, they are.

1) The Seattle Mariners haven't fared particularly well with the ABS challenge system in 2026, a new concept for Major League Baseball this year.

2) Being good or bad at the ABS challenge system hasn't had the impact on winning that maybe fans think it does, so it's hard to quantify how important it is for a team to actually be good at it.

Let's dig a little deeper.

As hitters: The Mariners have challenged 148 pitches, which is tied for 14th-most in baseball.

The Mariners have won 62 and lost 86 challenges, making their overall challenge success rate just 42 percent, which is 28th in baseball.

As pitchers/catchers: The Mariners have challenged 151 pitches, which is the 23rd-most in baseball.

The Mariners have won 88 and lost 63, which is a success rate of 58 percent, which is 15th in baseball, right in the middle of the pack.

Likely because the Mariners have had a veteran team that is mostly several years removed from the minor leagues, where the challenge system has been honed for the last few years. This group is essentially all new to the idea of challenging, and it likely has taken some adjusting to.

As the team gets younger or infuses more minor league talent into the lineup, there will be more players familiar with the challenge system, which should help, especially as the major league players get more experience under their belt.

Of players who have played regularly for the Mariners this year, only Weston Wilson, Colt Emerson, Cole Young, Brock Rodden, Johnny Pereda and Leo Rivas have spent consistent time in the minor leagues over the last two years. Rodden, Pereda, Wilson, and Rivas have all been bit players to the roster and don't play consistently.

The majority of the every day lineup is full of veterans who have never done this before.

This is only a one-year data point, but no, you do not.

--Of the Top 10 most successful teams (as hitters), only three are currently in the playoffs. The Diamondbacks, Reds, Blue Jays, Athletics, Royals, and Tigers are all in the top six, and none of them are in the playoffs right now.

Conversely: The Atlanta Braves (40 percent) have been the least successful batting team when it comes to challenges, and they are leading the National League East. The Cleveland Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers are both bottom five, and they are both current playoff teams.

On the pitching side? The Cincinnati Reds have the best percentage, with the Texas Rangers, Tigers and Colorado Rockies all ranking in the top six. None are playoff teams. The Brewers, Astros, Guardians and White Sox are all in the bottom 10, and all are current playoff teams.

Simply using your challenges a lot doesn't necessarily correlate, either. The top four teams in baseball in terms of total challenges won are all out of the playoffs as well. Six of the top 10 in terms of total challenges won are not in the playoffs either.

We'd like to see the Mariners get better at this next season, no doubt, as it's just another tool that can help decide a game or a moment within a game, but so far, being great at ABS challenges is not indicative of being a good team. And being bad at them, is not indicative of being a bad one.

The Mariners will take on the Athletics on Friday night in West Sacramento, Calif. George Kirby will take the ball against Jeffrey Springs.

The most recent edition of the 'Refuse to Lose Territory,' podcast is out. You can listen here, or you can watch in the YouTube player below.