Umpire Bill Miller goes 0-for-8 on ABS challenges in Reds’ 10-8 win over Cubs at Wrigley Field
Home-plate umpire Bill Miller had all eight of his ball-and-strike decisions challenged and overturned during the Cincinnati Reds’ 10-8 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The unusually poor record drew attention to Major League Baseball’s new automated ball-strike challenge system, which was introduced for the 2026 season and allows teams to contest calls.
Chicago won five challenges and Cincinnati won three, with the first reversal confirming that Reds pitcher Rhett Lowder’s fastball had caught the edge of the strike zone after Miller called it a ball. Cubs catcher Carson Kelly made four successful challenges, while Reds players Jose Trevino and Sal Stewart and Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki also won reversals; only two disputed pitches had initially been called strikes. Tracking site TapToChallenge.com said Miller’s 0-for-8 performance appeared to be the worst by an umpire under the new system, and he has recorded 70 overturned calls overall, ninth-most in MLB.
- Miller had all eight challenged calls overturned.
- Cubs won five ABS challenges; Reds won three.
- The game highlighted MLB’s new automated challenge system.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the automated challenge system would argue that this game shows why it is needed: eight demonstrably incorrect calls were corrected in a single match, including pitches that could have materially affected at-bats and the result. They would say limited challenges preserve the pace and human element of baseball while giving players a practical safeguard against avoidable errors, advancing consistency and competitive fairness.
The case against
Critics could argue that an exceptional 0-for-8 night should not be treated as proof that automated adjudication ought to displace human umpiring more broadly. They may value an umpire’s judgement, game management and the traditional character of baseball, while warning that frequent technical reversals can interrupt play, encourage tactical challenges and make marginal zone measurements feel more important than the overall flow of the game.