The MLB will soon experiment with robot umpires, according to an Associated Press report.
The Major League Baseball Umpires Association and Major League Baseball announced a tentative five-year labor contract on Saturday that would run through 2024. As part of the contract, umpires agreed to cooperate with the MLB in the development and testing of an automated ball-strike system, as well as cooperate and assist with the implementation if the league chooses to use the system in the major leagues.
An automated ball-strike system has already been implemented at the independent league level, and in the Arizona Fall League. The MLB has also reportedly discussed using an automated system at the Class A Florida State League in the upcoming season.
Human umpires are still necessary in the system to call checked swings and check for errors, like if a ball bounces on the ground and into the strike zone. Human umpires will still also be responsible for making safe and out calls.
The labor agreement with the Umpires Association also includes pay raises for umpires, as well as increased retirement benefits.
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