Altuve's ABS Challenge Turns Ball Four into Strike vs. A's

In the third inning of the Astros‑Athletics game, Altuve faced A’s pitcher Jeffrey Springs. After a full count, Springs threw a low, inside ball four, but a quick challenge by catcher Shea Langeliers led to the call being overturned. The ABS system recorded the pitch as the closest ever to a strike, 0.00323 in. of the zone, and Altuve was ruled out on strikes, ending the inning.

Despite the setback, Altuve has had a strong start to his 16th season, posting a 1.071 OPS and two home runs in his first nine games. The A’s went on to win 11‑4.