MLB walk rate surges after automated ball-strike system introduction

9 articles · Updated · The Wall Street Journal · May 6

Through Tuesday, walks reached 9.5% of plate appearances, while scoring rose to about nine runs per game from 8.6 and average game time increased three minutes to 2:41.
Players can now challenge pitch locations, batters are swinging less, and pitchers are throwing fewer pitches in the strike zone than in 2025, helping drive more free passes.
MLB says walk rates usually ease as seasons progress, but even then 2026 could finish at 9%, the highest since 2000; minor-league ABS tests had also produced more walks.

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