Yankees could be adversely affected by ABS system due to this advanced metric

In some respects, the New York Yankees stand to be one of the largest beneficiaries of MLB's new ABS challenge system. At six-foot-seven, Aaron Judge has long been victimized by strikes called on pitches below the zone. For most hitters, these offerings would be strikes, but umpires have long had issues adjusting when the towering slugger steps into the box.

Sometimes, this bias against Judge has reached egregious levels, so the idea of the three-time MVP finally getting a fair shake should strike fear in the hearts of pitchers everywhere.

But just as this rule change will giveth, it'll also taketh away. Judge will be better off with this technology on his side, but Austin Wells and the pitching staff might very well suffer.

Here's how Austin Wells, Yankees could lose edge to ABS challenge system

First, for a brief primer on the ABS system, here's what you need to know. The technology involved tracks the ball relative to each hitter's unique strike zone to accurately record whether it was a ball or a strike. We're not full-on into robo ump territory yet, though. Each team will have two challenges, which can be issued only by the batter, the pitcher, or the catcher. However, if the team wins their challenge, they retain it and can reuse it again in perpetuity as long as they keep guessing correctly.

So while this is an overall plus for the game, the Yankees might not like it much when their hurlers are on the mound. That's because Wells has developed into an elite pitch framer. Originally known as a bat-first catching prospect, this has become his one standout defensive skill, and the heights he's reached are due in no small part to New York's prowess at developing catchers and emphasizing pitch framing excellence.

Last season, the 26-year-old was third in all of baseball in catcher framing runs, posting a whopping 13. Overall, his shadow strike percentage (the percentage of pitches on the fringe of the zone) was a solid 44.6%. Wells was particularly adept at stealing strikes that came in below the zone, which is somewhat ironic given Judge's grievances with the low strike call.

All of these stolen strikes add up and have helped Yankees hurlers get into more favorable counts early and generate outs more frequently and efficiently. This new tech puts all of that in peril (assuming the opposition guesses correctly over and over and goes on the offensive).

The saving grace here is that this isn't an "always on" type of system. Because it needs to be initiated by a challenge and challenges are limited, some thievery can still occur. However, those limitations also mean that opposing clubs will reserve their challenges until the game's biggest moments, which could have outsized effects on the final outcome.

Wells and the Yankees might still rank at the top of the leaderboard when it comes to framing in 2026, but the nature of the new rules might make most of that success empty calories. In the meantime, what had become a very nice advantage in pressure-packed moments has nearly disappeared completely. Don't be surprised if you see some more meltdowns after controversial challenges this year, as the Yankees adapt to the unfortunate drawback of a system that is ultimately more fair.