Technology innovations will continue to encroach on sports as an announcement from Major League Baseball this week confirmed that they plan to experiment with robot umpires in spring training, and the robots may be used in competition as early as 2026.
MLB commissioner, Rob Manfred confirmed that the robots were discussed at the most recent owners meeting. According to Sports Illustrated, “For the system to be implemented in MLB, an agreement would need to be reached with MLB's Umpires Association after their Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on Dec. 1.”
The plan is for 19 teams to test the robot umpires at 13 spring training facilities. Based on the current spring training schedule, this means that every MLB team will get exposure to the robot umpires.
For several years the minor league teams have experimented with the robot umpires. While a few shortcomings have been identified, like determining strike zones, nothing the minor league teams have reported has nixed the project.
"I would be interested in having it in 2026. We do have a collective bargaining obligation there. That's obviously a term and condition of employment. We're going to have to work through that issue, as well," Manfred said, referring to the current terms the MLB upholds with the Umpires Association.
Manfred continued, “There's two sides to that test. It's what the clubs think about it and also what do the players think about it? And we're going to have to sort through both of those.”
