![\"Ryan](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MLB-Tampa-Bay-Rays-at-Minnesota-Twins-28653971-scaled-e1775744217249.jpg\")
Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
After the Minnesota Twins have gone through a tone of change over the past year. Not only did they completely renovate their roster at the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline<\/a>, but they followed that up with replacing both their manager and top Pohlad, before ultimately parting ways with team president Derek Falvey.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Major League Baseball went through its own swath of changes and controversies during the offseason, as the league prepared for another major rule change, not to mention a likely work stoppage in 2027.<\/p>\n On the field, all eyes have been on the new ABS Challenge system<\/a>, which allows players to challenge umpire ball\/strike calls as many times as they want each game, until they get two wrong.<\/p>\n Minnesota Twins vs MLB Umpires \u2013 ABS edition<\/p>\n Much like the pitch clock before it, ABS Challenges immediately altered Major League Baseball in a way that few rule changes do. But so far, fans, players and managers seem mostly happy with the results and implementation, the latter of which has been rather seamless<\/a>.<\/p>\n Not only has ABS already proven extremely useful in overturning those egregious misses by umpires behind the plate, but it\u2019s been utilized in some incredibly heavy late-game situations already.<\/p>\n For example, in the 8th inning of Wednesday\u2019s Twins win over Detroit, catcher Ryan Jeffers made TWO successful challenges for his reliever, Cody Laweryson, the second of which resulted in strike three on Gleyber Torres \u2014 stranding two Tigers on base of a close game that Minnesota went on to win 8-6<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Twins win the ABS Challenge to get out of the 8th inning jam!<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcfa: FS1 pic.twitter.com\/58YmiJvmWn<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 9, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Of course, some teams have used their challenges more effectively than others. And while it\u2019s still very early in the season, no club has been better at overturning umpire ball\/strike calls via ABS challenge than the Minnesota Twins.<\/p>\n The Twins have been aggressive about their challenges, showing little hesitation to tap the top of their head and signal for ABS early and often. Through 12 games, that approach has paid dividends.<\/p>\n MN Twins taking advantage of ABS like no other MLB team<\/p>\n Not only have the Minnesota Twins produced the most ball\/strike challenges of any MLB team so far this season, with 42 total challenges (second most is 31 \u2013 Marlins) but they are also near the top of the list in terms of success rate too.<\/p>\n Out of the Twins 42 ABS attempts so far this year, the Twins have won an impressive 25 of those challenges \u2014 good for a 59.5% success rate. While that number ranks 9th in the league, overall, none of the teams above them have more than 28 total challenges (see table below).<\/p>\n Twins lead league in ABS Challenges: With 12 games, they are losing 1.4 challenges\/game: try not to leave challenges on table<\/p>\n Twins are avant-garde; a matter of time until they all catch up<\/p>\n \u2014 Tangotiger \ud83c\udf41 (@tangotiger) April 9, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Looking at the larger ABS picture, it\u2019s clear no team has been better at using the new game day technology than the MN Twins, who have seven more successful challenges on the season than any other team, and 13 more successful challenges than their opponents.<\/p>\n The craziest ABS stats over at Baseball Savant<\/a> for the Twins, however, is their 5.5 runs gained by ABS and 3.1 runs gained vs expected, both of which sit far and away higher than any other team in Major League Baseball. In a distant second place for gained vs expected are the Atlanta Braves, at just 1.1.<\/p>\n Rk.TeamGained Twins\u2019 ABS secret weapon \u2014 (C) Ryan Jeffers<\/p>\n So, what\u2019s the Twins\u2019 ABS secret? Well, they are aggressive in their approach and urge pitchers NOT to challenge<\/a>, an approach that certainly helps. But really, their success lies within is in their secret weapon, catcher Ryan Jeffers.<\/p>\n Of the 42 challenges by Minnesota this season, 20 have been induced by Twins catchers. Of those defensive challenge attempts, they\u2019ve been successful in a whopping 14 of them \u2014 70% success rate<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jeffers\u2019 personal success rate is 67%<\/a> (10-for-15). Of his ten correct challenges behind the plate, EIGHT of them resulted in a strikeout, including TWO last night alone.<\/p>\n Ryan Jeffers the K god! pic.twitter.com\/8U27IdSKlO<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ted (@tlschwerz) April 9, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n ryan jeffers when he catches a strike and hears “ball” pic.twitter.com\/qDAfDdRQpV<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) April 9, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Related: Pohlads Cutting More Than Just MN Twins Payroll to Save Money<\/a><\/p>\n While that 70% isn\u2019t the best defensive overturn rate in the league, the Twins are the only team in the top six with more than 14 challenges attempted, at 20. But without Jeffers\u2019 knowledge of the strike zone, Minnesota is just an average ABS challenger\u2026 that probably uses it too much.<\/p>\n Instead, mostly thanks to Jeffers, they are absolutely dominating MLB umpires to start the 2026 season. To continue this level of success, Minnesota will have to adjust their approach based on who is wanting to challenge.<\/p>\n Matt Wallner, for example, has been among the league\u2019s worst ABS users so far this season, winning just one of his four challenges, through 12 games.<\/p>\n Ironically, Wallner\u2019s only successful challenge this season was the first ABS challenge<\/a> in Minnesota Twins history first ever. The below video is not that one\u2026<\/p>\n Matt Wallner has made some really bad challenge decisions of late\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/uCMLp20zeE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ted (@tlschwerz) April 8, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Aggressiveness may be MN Twins competitive advantage<\/p>\n To end last season the Minnesota Twins attempted a new level of aggressiveness on the basepaths, as a way to manufacture more runs<\/a>. That has continued this season, and spilled over to the new ABS challenge system.<\/p>\n Part of the discussion on Thursday\u2019s Fox Sports 1 broadcast<\/a> centered around each MLB managers\u2019 ability to empower their players to challenge. No manager has embodied that sentiment more than Derek Shelton (unless you are a Twins pitcher).<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: ABS Challenge<\/a> matt wallner<\/a> Ryan Jeffers<\/a> <\/p>\n More About:Minnesota Twins<\/a><\/p>\n Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google. \t\t\t
\u2013 Overturned (25)
\u2013 Lost (17)
\u2013 Runs Gained (+5.5)
\u2013 Runs Gained above Expected (+3.1)<\/p>\n
vs. Exp.Chal.
TotalRuns
GainedOff.
Chal.Off
Runs
GainedDef
Chal.Def
Runs
Gained1Twins3.1425.5222.2203.22Braves1.1263.1141.4121.73Rays0.9262.6121.3141.34Royals0.9243.2100.8142.55Orioles0.9223.1131.092.16Marlins0.7313.670.7242.87Phillies0.7224.0111.5112.5Baseball Savant<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Add](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/google_preferred_source_badge.png\"){kind=icon}
<\/a><\/p>\n