Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Walker Buehler is happy to get another shot in The Show, but not just for the reasons one may assume. The two-time All-Star, who has not appeared in an MLB game since the Boston Red Sox cut ties with him in late August, is eager to get away from the automated-ball-strike (ABS) system that is currently being used in the minor leagues.

Following a brief stint with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, he is voicing his strong opinion on the innovative technology that is expected to make its way to MLB in the near future.

“I think it's inaccurate,” Buehler told reporters on Thursday, via the On Pattison X account. “I think in most of the stadiums, it's not even actually on the plate. I think it shifts certain directions in certain ballparks. I think the human element is a huge part of this game. I think starting pitchers that have pitched for a long time deserve certain parts of the plate that other guys don't get.

“When I got to the big leagues, I didn't get every part of the zone that other guys did, and I think that's part of our game and should be. I think the punishment for challenging something that's clearly a strike is not big enough. I could kind of go on.”

Will ABS work at the MLB level?

Buehler's argument that all hurlers should go through a rite of passage when it comes to the strike zone is the exact type of selective officiating the league is seeking to eliminate with ABS. Ideally, neither the pitcher nor batter would have to worry about star power or experience factoring into a potentially critical decision. Players have embraced many of baseball's recent changes, but as you can see, there are some who take the “unwritten rules” seriously.

Although the veteran right-hander has had no qualms about expressing his ardent displeasure with an umpire's call in the past, he clearly believes that the sport is not ready for Robo-umps. MLB implemented the system in spring training games this year and in the All-Star Game, suggesting that it is only a matter of time before it is used on a full-time basis in the big leagues. Though, there are other pitchers who share Buehler's anti-ABS stance.

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The two-time World Series champion does acknowledge the benefits of the system, but he believes there are simply too many flaws to justify its presence in the game today.

“I don't think we have any idea where to put it on the plate,” Walker Buehler said. “I don't think we have any idea how to function it correctly in terms of the angles and ballparks. I don't think the umpires unions are going to be very happy about it. So, there's a lot of negatives about the ABS.”

Buehler's focus shifts to Phillies' title aspirations 

The 31-year-old should accept ABS' inevitable arrival, but MLB is hopefully taking his concerns into account. An imprecise system that delays the game and raises tempers on the mound would not work for anyone. The Joint Competition Committee is supposed to meet soon to discuss the possibility of officially using ABS in the 2026 regular season. That is not Buehler's concern right now, however.

He will make his Phillies debut on Friday night versus the visiting Kansas City Royals. If all goes well during the final couple weeks of the campaign, the Lexington, Kentucky native will have a chance to earn a spot on the team's playoffs roster. Buehler is 7-7 with a 5.45 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 112 1/3 innings pitched in 2025. The ABS cannot do anything for those numbers, but maybe the forthcoming October vibes are just what he needs to get right.

Walker Buehler posted a 3.04 ERA and 29.4 strikeout percentage in 19 postseason games with the Los Angeles Dodgers.