Yankees’ Jose Caballero takes first official crack at ABS pitch challenge system

SAN FRANCISCO – José Caballero made history Wednesday night, just not successfully.

The Yankees shortstop became the first player to challenge a pitch using the automated ball-strike system during the regular season.

He tried to get Logan Webb’s first pitch of the fourth inning flipped from a strike to a ball.

The only problem was that upon review, the pitch clipped the corner of the strike zone and remained a strike, proving home plate umpire Bill Miller correct and costing the Yankees one of their two challenges.

Aaron Boone said before the game that he wanted the Yankees to be aggressive in using the ABS, while also keeping leverage in mind.

Jose Caballero used the ABS system on Opening Day.

Caballero was certainly aggressive, but it was not a leverage situation in a 0-0 count and the Yankees leading 5-0.