Royals appear to have winning ABS strategy following J.J. Picollo's recent remarks

MLB’s newest addition has been getting plenty of attention early in the 2026 season, and there are several ways for fans to find value in the ABS challenge system.

Kansas City Royals general manager J.J. Picollo recently spoke on MLB Network about how the AL Central club is approaching the new competitive wrinkle and how it is already affecting the 2026 squad.

“We spent a lot of time in spring training figuring out when we want to use our challenges,” Picollo said. “You want to be smart about it and use them at the right times."

Our basic rule of thumb has been: if there are two strikes, feel free to challenge," he said. "But keep in mind the run probability in that moment. If it’s high, we want you to challenge. We want to score when we can.”

Picollo emphasized that the situation on the bases drives a common-sense approach, one where challenges can be saved for higher-leverage moments. But the way he described the team’s philosophy, it sounded more like a shared language, one that allows players to make decisions in real time without overthinking the moment. And above all, it is collective.

“The big thing we’ve emphasized is that it’s a team challenge, not an individual challenge,” Picollo said.

Still, not every voice carries the same weight, at least not yet. Kansas City is already learning who sees the strike zone best in real time. And unsurprisingly, that list starts behind the plate.

Salvador Perez appears to be the key to Royals' new ABS Challenge Stystem startegy

“We give [Salvador Perez] a lot of leeway, really any catcher,” Picollo said. “That’s the trend we’re seeing. Catchers are going to be right more often.”

It is a logical edge. Catchers are the only players on the field who remain stationary during a pitch, giving them a consistent vantage point that pitchers and hitters simply do not have.

The Royals’ team captain has unsurprisingly been one of the better challengers behind the plate, challenging nine times through Sunday’s action and winning six of those challenges. He is the only Royals fielder to challenge a pitch so far, and Kansas City batters have won four of their six challenges, giving them the third-best challenge win rate of any team.

Even with a clear structure in place, the system is not without its quirks, and it still leaves room for that human element.

Perez himself has been on both sides of the equation, successfully identifying missed calls while also seeing some borderline strikes slip away. That inconsistency has sparked internal conversations, including whether Perez’s physical presence behind the plate plays a role.

“That very well could be,” Picollo said. “We’ve talked about that, and it’s possible that’s something that’s developed over time because he is a big man.”

It is the kind of detail that underscores just how nuanced this system can be. The ABS challenge system promises precision, but the human element, positioning, perspective, and timing still shapes how it plays out on the field.

For now, the Royals are leaning into that balance. While the results are among the league's best, the process will really determine how the season-long impact looks.

ABS already feels like it is here to stay, thanks to a seamless review process and the added entertainment value for fans. And while that may come at the expense of some umpires' egos, it does seem like Kansas City has a good handle on baseball’s latest step forward.