Major League Baseball and the MLB Umpires Association reached a tentative five-year labor agreement Saturday, though it's still subject to ratification by both sides, according to Ben Walker and Ronald Blum of The Associated Press.
As part of the tentative pact, umpires agreed to cooperate with MLB in the development and testing of an automated strike-zone system, Walker and Blum report.
The MLBUA also agreed to cooperate and assist commissioner Rob Manfred if he decides to use the automated system at the major-league level.
A computerized strike zone was tested in the independent Atlantic League and during the Arizona Fall League, and MLB also discussed installing such technology in 2020 at the Class-A Florida State League.
The system has received mixed reviews from players thus far. It's been praised for calling balls and strikes on the inside and outside corners of the plate but struggled with breaking balls that are high or low in the zone.
Human umpires would still be needed even if an automated strike zone is used in the majors, as they'd need to make decisions on check swings and balls that hit the ground first and bounce back through the zone.
