Twins manager Derek Shelton ejected over ABS Challenge on Sunday and the drama is already incredible

During Baltimore’s 8-6 win over Minnesota on Sunday at Camden Yards, Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley used an ABS challenge to overturn a walk to Josh Bell and secure the save. Twins manager Derek Shelton wasn’t happy about it and left the dugout to argue that the challenge signal came too late.

He was promptly ejected by umpire Chris Segal. The first manager ejection of the ABS era and it happened on opening weekend. Beautiful, really.

Twins manager Derek Shelton goes NUCLEAR

Twins manager Derek Shelton was LIVID as he argued that Ryan Helsley didn't challenge this call fast enough pic.twitter.com/NnsgUb3iap

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) March 29, 2026

Under the 2026 rules, only players can challenge by immediately tapping their cap. Teams get two challenges per game and get one back for every successful challenge.

The Orioles went 3-for-3 on their challenges Sunday. The Twins went 0-for-2.

Derek Shelton’s argument was about timing, not the technology itself, but watching a manager get run over a robot call is objectively hilarious regardless of context.

The challenge itself was extremely close. Borderline pitch, legitimate case to go either way. And that is actually where my head is at after one full opening weekend of this system.

The ABS Challenge is supposed to be pinpoint accuracy and I understand the argument that a pitch more than halfway in the zone should count as a strike regardless of what corner it clips.

The borderline stuff is genuinely complicated and you could make a case that the system is effectively expanding the strike zone in ways that human umpires never would have called.

Literally can’t get any closer than that…

about as close as it gets pic.twitter.com/4L9n18RGbZ

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) March 29, 2026

Here is the deal I am willing to make…

If accepting a few borderline pitches going the other way is the price for never again watching CB Bucknor blow a call by three inches on a pitch right down the heart of the plate, I am taking that trade every single time. No hesitation. Half the night included.

ABS Challenge System showed no mercy to CB Bucknor, who got six out of eight calls overturned on Saturday >>

The robots are not going anywhere. The ABS Challenge is not going anywhere. After one weekend of regular season baseball it is honestly electric and the drama it is already generating is better than anything anyone could have scripted.

Derek Shelton got ejected because of a robot. It is only March and the ABS Challenge System is already delivering.

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