“In many cases, the custom tab had expanded the use of the dugout iPads beyond their originally intended purpose to include recommendations regarding substitutions, pitch calling, and other in-game decisions traditionally made by players and coaches," MLB executive vice president of baseball operations Morgan Sword wrote in a June 11 memo sent to general managers, assistant general managers and video coordinators.
The memo, first reported by The Athletic, was obtained by The Associated Press.
New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge said he was surprised to learn teams had been using AI to assist with decisions during games. “I read the article and I was like, I can’t believe what I’m seeing. Teams are making decisions off of AI? Man, that’s just crazy,” Judge said.
Former reliever Adam Ottavino said on his YouTube livestream, “Baseball & Coffee,” that the New York Mets were the primary team affected by the league’s action. Ottavino, who played for the Mets from 2022 through 2024 and now works as a broadcaster for the YES Network, said the club had invested heavily in AI software to support in-game decision-making. “The Mets were actually the team, the main team, that got cracked down on,” Ottavino said. “They had an AI program that was very expensive apparently and they were bragging about it a little bit early on in this — the year. Some of the coaches that I know were talking about it from around the league and they had basically an AI program helping them pick pitches and I think some other stuff.”
“But MLB got wind of it and nipped that right in the bud, so apparently they weren't the only team, but I knew about it from the Mets angle," he said. “They tried to throw some money at the situation. Steve ponied up for — I think this program from what I heard was several hundred thousand dollars to have.”
The Mets declined to comment when asked about Ottavino’s remarks.
According to Sword’s memo, a review conducted by the competition committee found clubs had complied with the league’s regulations. He added that the timing of the restriction was intended to give teams using the custom tab enough time to adjust. “Instituting this prohibition beginning with the second half of the season is intended to provide clubs that have relied on the custom tab with appropriate lead-time to make any necessary adjustments," Sword wrote.
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider said the reports highlighted how quickly technology could influence in-game strategy. “It’s a little weird to kind of see the whole report on it, where you can do things kind of in real time that can sway your decision one way or another,” Schneider said. “I think the biggest thing is calling pitches and kind of seeing how that can evolve in real time via technology,” he added.
MLB first tested iPads in dugouts during the 2015 season before expanding their use in 2016 through an agreement with Apple. The league removed in-game video during the shortened 2020 season after the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal and restored video access in 2021.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said AI is becoming increasingly common throughout baseball, even as the league limits how it can be used during games. “It hasn’t impacted us at all but I know AI is entering our arena for sure," Lovullo said. "It’s entering everyone’s arena. You better get on it, or you’re going to get rolled over by it.”
This analysis is based on reporting from Yahoo Sports.
Image courtesy of AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.
