World Series champion John Smoltz warns baseball 'will suffer' if ABS system is applied to all pitches

World Series champion John Smoltz said helium likes the ABS situation strategy but hopes that the strategy ne'er becomes full-time, wherever each pitches are automated.

Smoltz, 59, said that it has changed the crippled and helium likes the strategy arsenic is, wherever teams get 2 challenges.

"I similar it. It has decidedly changed the crippled and we're going to person to person immoderate benignant of close system. Meaning, I similar it with 2 challenges only," Smoltz told Fox News Digital successful a caller interview.

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Hall of Famer John Smoltz is introduced during the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony astatine the Clark Sports Center successful Cooperstown, N.Y., connected July 27, 2025. (Gregory Fisher/Imagn Images)

"I similar the information that it's lone a situation system. I'm begging and pleading that it ne'er goes to a full-time system. Baseball volition endure and not beryllium the aforesaid and it'll beryllium intolerable to hit."

Teams person 2 challenges per game, but if they triumph their challenge, they clasp it. While Smoltz considered the ABS situation strategy a "big success" for Major League Baseball, helium did constituent retired a mates of changes to the crippled that are byproducts of the system.

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John Smoltz tees disconnected during the Capital One MLB Open astatine Shadow Creek Golf Course successful North Las Vegas, Nev., connected Nov. 14, 2025. (Lucas Peltier/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

"The plaything complaint has gone down, the locomotion rates gone done the roof. That's a problem, but that's a byproduct of pitchers besides not being capable to bid the baseball. They've gotten distant with being capable to chuck it successful the zone. And present the hitters are becoming much alert and the catchers and each the nuance that that comes into play," Smoltz said.

Last season, hitters swung astatine 47.5% of pitches and walked 8.4% of the time, portion this play hitters are swinging astatine 46.9% of pitches and are walking 9.2% of the time, according to Fangraphs. Smoltz, a Baseball Hall of Famer, would person utilized the ABS strategy to his benefit.

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John Smoltz watches his changeable from the eighth tee during the archetypal circular of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions astatine Lake Nona Golf and Country Club successful Orlando, Fla., connected Jan. 29, 2026. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

The eight-time All-Star spent 21 seasons successful the large leagues, 20 of those with the Braves. He spent his past play with the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox.

Smoltz has a vocation grounds of 213-155, an ERA of 3.33, and 154 saves, arsenic helium converted to a reliever for a fewer seasons aft his Tommy John surgery. He is competing successful the American Century Championship, which takes spot July 10-12 astatine Edgewood Golf Course successful Lake Tahoe. The tourney is volition beryllium broadcast connected NBC and Peacock.

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