Baseball’s new ABS challenge system gave the Nationals another layer to manage this season, and the early returns were uneven.
Across the league, 5,686 calls were overturned this year, giving teams plenty of chances to test the system. For Washington, though, the numbers landed squarely in the middle of the pack at best.
Nationals hitters won 45% of their challenges, which ranked 23rd in baseball. The club’s catchers finished at 54%, good for 22nd in the league.
That’s not disastrous, but it also doesn’t scream sharp execution.
The roughest stretch came right out of the gate. During the first month of the season, the Nationals were the worst challenge team in baseball.
There was even a game against the Phillies in the first week when Washington burned through its challenges in the second inning. That kind of start made it clear the team was still learning how to work the new system.
Behind the plate, Drew Millas had the toughest year. He finished with a 43% win rate, the worst mark of any catcher with at least 50 challenges.
Keibert Ruiz settled in after a slow beginning and ended the season at 56%, just under the 58% average for catchers. Harry Ford was Washington’s best catcher in the system, posting a 60% win rate.
That fits with the bigger picture. The ABS challenge system has already been around at Triple-A, so Ford came in with more familiarity than most. He looked more comfortable knowing when to reach for the helmet.
At the plate, CJ Abrams stood out as one of the best challengers in the sport. He went 12-for-14, and he was the best hitter in baseball by overturns versus expected on Baseball Savant.
After that, the results got more scattered. Jorbit Vivas finished 3-for-11, Nasim Nunez went 3-for-12, and James Wood was 8-for-23.
The Nationals did improve as the season moved along, but they still have room to clean things up. ABS added a fresh strategic wrinkle to the game, and Washington’s first run through it was a mixed bag.
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