Yankees’ Jose Caballero gets real about historic ABS challenge that failed
New York Yankees shortstop Jose Caballero reacts to being the first player to use an ABS challenge in MLB history in a 7-0 win vs. Giants.
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The New York Yankees dominated their Opening Day matchup vs. the San Francisco Giants and watched Jose Caballero turn a routine fourth-inning pitch into a historic moment. The Yankees shortstop became the first player ever to initiate an ABS challenge in a regular-season MLB game, putting the league’s new automated strike zone squarely in the spotlight.
Caballero’s historic moment came in the top of the fourth inning. With Giants ace Logan Webb on the mound, he watched a first-pitch sinker ring up as a strike from home-plate umpire Bill Miller and instantly tapped his helmet to trigger a challenge. ABS technology quickly confirmed the call, turning his bid into a failed appeal but locking it in as MLB’s first-ever official in-game ABS challenge.
The former seventh-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017 had already established the tone earlier in the game, knocking in the first runs of the 2026 MLB season. Caballero ripped an RBI double during a five-run second inning, helping the Pinstripes build a commanding lead in the opener vs. San Francisco.