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MLB’s “robot umpire” debuts in Yankees-Giants season opener
San Francisco — New York’s José Caballero thought for sure the pitch from Logan Webb had missed the strike zone, so he challenged the human umpire’s call – and made major league history in the process.
Caballero lost the first challenge taken to Major League Baseball’s so-called robot umpire, unsuccessfully appealing a strike by the San Francisco Giants right-hander in Wednesday night’s season opener that the Yankees won, 7-0.
Caballero didn’t hesitate. “Nope, I wanted to go for it,” he said.
Webb started the fourth inning with a 90.7 mph sinker on the upper, inner corner that was called a strike by Bill Miller, a major league umpire since 1997. Caballero tapped his helmet, and the 12 Hawk-Eye cameras of the Automated Ball-Strike System upheld Miller’s decision in a graphic shown on the Oracle Park scoreboard.
“I thought it was a little higher that what it showed,” Caballero said.
“I think it’s really good, keep everyone accountable,” he added. “It gives us a chance to really see how good (we are) with the zone or not. I wish it was the other way around, I’m trying to get the overturn call but this time I didn’t.”
New York was ahead 5-0 at the time. Caballero drove in the first run with an RBI single in a five-run second inning against Webb, who recorded his 1,000th career strikeout in the fourth.
Jeff Chiu / AP
The automated system had been tested in the minor leagues since 2019 and was used during major league spring training in 2025 and ’26. Some managers have said they will still find ways to argue and get ejected.
CBSSports.com’s Mike Axisa pointed out that, “Funny enough, the next pitch was a called strike that looked even more egregiously out of the zone. Caballero did not challenge that one, though. He wasn’t going to burn New York’s two challenges on back-to-back pitches. There’s plenty of strategy with these challenges. Teams won’t just challenge anything they think went against them. The game situation is important.”
Before Wednesday’s game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone spoke in support of ABS and the importance of discussing decisions on challenges with his team ahead of time. He stressed that this will be a learning process for everybody involved.
“I’ve tried to be real direct with them and why,” he said. “I feel like we’re going to be good at it, that’s the expectation. I’m sure we’ll continue to evolve with it.”
New San Francisco skipper Tony Vitello, who came to the Giants from the University of Tennessee with no professional experience as a player or coach, said he had to remind himself earlier Wednesday that the robots might take over at times.
“‘I’ve got to be honest with you, one thing I was looking at is who are the umpires tonight?” he said. “You get on Google (and) the first thing you see is there’s going to be a robot umpire. And it was only for a millisecond but I kind of freaked out.”
Sir David shared an interesting conversation with his children when he was awarded knighthood by King Charles.
The president and co-owner of Inter Miami CF, Sir David Beckham, 50, shares sons Brooklyn, 27 – from whom he is estranged – Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 21, and daughter Harper, 14, with his wife, Victoria, 51.
David Beckham, one of Britain’s most celebrated soccer players, was knighted by King Charles at Windsor Castle in November, in recognition of his decades-long contribution to sport and charitable causes.
The 50-year-old former England soccer captain received the honour at the royal residence, more than 20 years after he was awarded a separate royal honour recognising his contribution to football.
Notably his impact on football over a twenty year period and subsequent ambassadorial role with UNICEF.
Now, David has revealed that his kids hoped they would also benefit from his knighthood.
Speaking on talkSPORT Drive with Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent on Friday, David said his children asked if they would get ‘any more privileges’ when he became a Sir.
Asked about what changed in his life after he was knighted, David said: ‘The only thing that changed was my notepaper that I send out to people, thank you letters. That’s the only thing that really changed.
‘My kids turn around to me and said, “Dad, do we get any privileges like, any more?” I know that’s what I said to them.
‘I was like, “well, apart from the ones that you’ve already got, absolutely not”.’
He added: ‘It was one of the best… probably the best day of my life, you know, other than obviously when my kids were born and when I got married.’
Prince William appears to be growing worried for his cancer-stricken father King Charles after the latest health update causes major concerns in the Palace.
The Prince of Wales, who has been receiving more significant duties from the Palace, is fully aware of his royal in the family but he also deeply cares for his father.
King Charles, along with Queen Camilla, were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales for Nigeria’s State Banquet last week, and William had expressed his concerns about the monarch’s health at the time.
However, he was quickly shut down by Camilla. According to an insider cited by Closer, William “did not feel Charles was well enough” for the engagements.
“William wants his father to slow down and take a proper step back,” the source said. However, every time William had brough it up, there’s a sense that Camilla “is encouraging Charles to continue his duty, especially at a time the family is receiving so much criticism”.
The heir to the throne believes that his father will improve if he is allowed to take proper rest.
“It’s very upsetting for him because he can see how quickly his father Charles is deteriorating and he feels totally helpless to do anything about it,” the source noted, adding that Camilla “blocks him at every turn”.
Meanwhile, King Charles is “incredibly proud” and he wants to continue as long as he possibly can. Even though William admires the trait in his father but he believes there has to be a line.
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