Toronto's personnel changes, new ABS system provides intriguing upcoming season for Blue Jays fans in 2026
Photo credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Between a flurry of offseason roster changes and the upcoming debut of the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System, Blue Jays fans will have plenty to keep an eye on when the 2026 season arrives.
After falling agonizingly short of a World Series title, the American League champions entered the offseason determined to make the moves necessary to get over the hump.
Toronto’s front office did not hesitate to shake things up, parting ways with several key contributors from last season’s roster.
Veteran pitchers Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer, Seranthony Dominguez, and Nick Sandlin all departed via free agency.
The infield also saw turnover, as Ty France and Isiah Kiner-Falefa remain unsigned while searching for the right opportunity for the 2026 campaign.
Perhaps the most notable departure, however, was homegrown shortstop Bo Bichette.
After seven seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, Bichette chose to begin a new chapter in his career, signing a three-year deal with the New York Mets.
Interestingly, Toronto had already committed to Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto on a four-year contract two weeks prior to Bichette’s signing, leaving some to wonder whether the organization had already begun to move in a different direction.
Despite the losses, Toronto responded aggressively. The Blue Jays made a major statement early in the offseason by signing free-agent ace Dylan Cease to a massive seven-year, contract, instantly re-anchoring the rotation.
They followed that up with another rotation addition by signing reigning 2025 KBO MVP Cody Ponce to a three-year deal.
Ponce helps offset the departures of Bassitt and Scherzer while adding depth and upside to the pitching staff.
To address Dominguez’s exit from the bullpen, Toronto turned to a unique arm.
The Blue Jays signed submariner Tyler Rogers to a three-year contract, adding deception and a drastically different look to the relief corps.
While roster changes will draw plenty of attention, one of the biggest adjustments for fans in 2026 will come from the field itself.
Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System has baseball fans intrigued for the 2026 season
Major League Baseball is officially introducing the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System for all regular-season and postseason games.
How It Works:The ABS Challenge System operates on a 5G private network powered by T-Mobile for Business’ Advanced Network Solutions.
Twelve Hawk-Eye cameras positioned around the ballpark track the precise location of every pitch.
If a pitcher, catcher, or batter disagrees with the home plate umpire’s call of ball or strike, they may immediately request a challenge by tapping their hat or helmet and verbally signaling their intent.
The pitch is then evaluated against the batter’s individualized strike zone. If any part of the ball touches any part of the strike zone, the pitch is ruled a strike.
The home plate umpire announces the challenge to the crowd, while a graphic displaying the result appears on both the scoreboard and broadcast.
The entire review process takes approximately 15 seconds.
ABS Challenge System Rules: Each team begins the game with two challenges and retains any successful ones.
Only the pitcher, catcher, or batter may initiate a challenge, and it must occur immediately following the call.
No assistance from coaches or teammates is permitted. If a team enters extra innings without a remaining challenge, it will be awarded one.
ABS Challenge System Strike Zone:The ABS strike zone itself is defined as a two-dimensional rectangle centered over home plate, matching the plate’s 17-inch width.
The top and bottom of the zone are individualized based on the hitter’s height, with the top set at 53.5% and the bottom at 27% of the player’s certified height.
As with previous seasons, MLB will measure all players during Spring Training using a standardized process, and each player’s official height must be certified before appearing in a Major League game.
ABS technology is not entirely new. The Florida State League (Single-A) has used ABS since 2021, Triple-A implemented it in select ballparks in 2022, and it expanded league-wide in 2023.
At the Major League level, ABS Challenge debuted during 2025 Spring Training and was also featured in the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta.
ABS Challenge results – 2025 Spring Training: Results from 2025 Spring Training showed teams challenged just over four pitches per game, with a success rate near 50%, mirroring Minor League data.
Offense and defense challenged a similar number of calls, though defensive challenges proved slightly more successful, with a 54% overturn rate compared to 50% for hitters.
Catchers led all positions in effectiveness, overturning 56% of their challenges, compared to 50% for batters and 41% for pitchers.
With a revamped roster and a new era of pitch-calling technology on the horizon, the 2026 season promises to be one of the most closely watched in recent Blue Jays history.
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