When Major League Baseball introduced the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System for the 2026 season, the assignment was straightforward if not intuitive.

For all hitters, the top end of their strike zone will be 53.5% of their measured height. The bottom would be 27% of that height. The width of the plate provided the width of the zone.

Manny Machado didn't get the assignment. At the very least, the San Diego Padres' third baseman isn't convinced that the cost of an incorrect challenge outweighs the benefit of getting a call overturned.

So far this season, Machado is 2-for-5 in ABS challenges.…