The MLB ALDS opener between the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners was supposed to be a postseason classic. And in many ways it was. The two teams fought neck and neck for 11 innings; it was tense, and the Tigers won 3-2 over the Mariners. It should have been a game remembered for the thrill it brought, but instead it was umpire Alex Tosi and his “special performance” that had fans talking more about than the game itself.

It all started like a classic duel. The Mariners struck first, all thanks to Julio Rodriguez’s solo home run in the fourth. But then Detroit came swinging back with Kerry Carpenter launching a two-run shot off George Kirby in the fifth. Seattle then tied things up in the sixth with another RBI from Rodriguez.

From there, it turned into a scoreless standoff—until Zach McKinstry’s RBI single in the 11th that finally gave the Tigers the win. But even before that final hit, the focus had shifted from the game and the players to the man behind the plate. Turns out that umpire Alex Tosi missed 23 calls during the game!

Yes, twenty-three! He posted a correct call rate of just 86.1%, one of the lowest of the entire MLB season. Out of 2445 games this season, only 26 had a worse accuracy than him—and that speaks volumes about the level of finesse he brings to the game. This is not sitting well with MLB fans, because being correct in calls is the most basic of basics—and this is the playoffs, not regular games.

But working on his third postseason assignment, Tosi’s strike zone seemed to have a life of its own. He was generous at the top of the zone, ringing up Spencer Torkelson and Parker Meadows on the questionable high strikes. And then conveniently enough, that expanded zone played right into the hands of Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby, who was dominant early. He struck out eight batters through four innings.

Of course, fans were not having it, and social media blasted how such a performance could stand in the playoff game. As Game 2 looms, everyone can do one thing—wonder what Tosi’s official report card would look like. One thing is for sure: now baseball fans can’t wait for the ABS challenge system to come in soon enough. And now, even the players are wishing for it!

Xander Bogaerts can’t wait for MLB’s ABS in 2026

One MLB player who has officially had it with these calls is Xander Bogaerts. After a strike three call that looked nowhere near the zone, the Padres’ shortstop couldn’t hold back on his frustration. And really, can you blame him? With the Padres trailing 3-1 in the ninth inning against the Cubs, Bogaerts was called out on a 3-2 pitch that clearly was below the strike zone.

That missed call came at the worst time possible. San Diego was rallying with no outs, and Bogaerts knew it. When asked about the strike call, he said, “Talk about it now: What do you want me to do?… It’s a ball. Messed up the whole game, you know? I mean, can’t go back in time, and talking about it now won’t change anything. So it was bad, and thank God for ABS next year because this is terrible.” And really, he was not overacting, because right after he struck out, Chicago’s Brad Keller plunked the next two batters. This meant the Padres could have had the bases loaded with no outs if that strike call had gone their way, right? Instead, they were left scrambling with runners on first and second and just one out. Then Cubs pitcher Andrew Kittredge came to shut things down and sealed the win, which sent Chicago to the next round.

But things will look way different next season. MLB has officially approved the Automated Ball Strike System (ABS), or robot umpires, for 2026. Each team will get two challenges per game, and the hitters, pitchers, or the catcher can initiate it by tapping their helmet or cap right after the pitch. The system has been in the testing phase for some time now. For Bogaerts and many who have been affected by the umps’ wrong calls, ask the Yankees and Boone, too—this is simply comfort.