Altuve's ABS Challenge Loss Highlights System's Cruelty

Astros second baseman Jose Altuve saw a ball four against A’s pitcher Jeffrey Springs overturned by the new ABS challenge system, ending his at‑bat on a strike and costing Houston a win in an 11‑4 loss. The challenge, which measured the pitch 0.00323 inches inside the strike zone, set a new record for the closest ABS call.

Despite the setback, Altuve has started his 16th season on a high note, posting a 1.071 OPS and two home runs in his first nine games.