The first week of meaningful ABS challenges have provided a lot of content as players and umpires alike acclimate to a system aimed at getting more pivotal calls correct. Some have proven themselves to have a knack for knowing when to question a call. Others might need to have that privilege taken away from them. Umpires have been berated for missing call after call, no matter how close and difficult the situation. In short, it's been really entertaining.
Along the way there have been firsts, as this is a brand-new world. One manifested Wednesday in Baltimore where the Orioles were trying to close out an 8-3 victory over the Rangers. Reliever Albert Suarez had Evan Carter on a 1-2 account and delivered a four-seam fastball ruled a ball by the home plate umpire. With a five-run lead and plenty of opportunities to get the final strike down the line, the Orioles could have easily let the 50-50 ruling slide.
Instead catcher Samuel Basallo decided to go for history. He immediately challenged, the replay revealed that it was actually a strike and the first game to ever end on an ABS challenge was on the books.
A walk off ABS challenge by Samuel Basallo wins the game for the Baltimore Orioles 😱 pic.twitter.com/nWOhgttX6y
— js9innings (@js9inningsmedia) April 1, 2026
“We still had two there at the end of the game, so I thought, ‘Why not use it?’” Basallo said via Orioles team interpreter Brandon Quinones. “Better to use it and see what happens instead of holding onto it and maybe not using it the rest of the game.”
Why not has greased the wheels of innovation for centuries and continues to do so today. History will always remember an April matinee that came to an abrupt and awkward end.
Basallo's challenge is also a late entry into the week's finest challenges. Because even if the outcome was already likely decided, putting a wrap on the whole game has to put it up for consideration.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Orioles Make MLB History With First-Ever Walk-Off ABS Challenge.
