Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsEach team starts every MLB postseason game with two manager replay challenges. A successful challenge is retained; an unsuccessful one is lost. In 2026, player challenges of ball-and-strike calls through the ABS Challenge System are a separate process and do not use a team’s manager replay allotment.
How a manager replay challenge works
- A reviewable call is made. Replay applies only to calls designated as reviewable under MLB rules. A manager cannot challenge every judgment on the field.
- The manager signals promptly. The manager must signal immediately after the play that the team is considering a challenge. That starts a 15-second decision timer; the manager must decide before it expires. The manager identifies the specific call or calls to challenge, but does not have to explain why the call was wrong. MLB’s manager-challenge explanation describes this procedure.
- Replay officials review the available video. Full-time MLB umpires work from the Replay Command Center in New York. MLB says a postseason game has a lead replay umpire and an assisting replay umpire. They can use stadium camera feeds and, when available, slow-motion and isolated feeds from both broadcasts; the angles available vary by play. MLB’s account of replay-center operations explains the setup.
- The replay official rules. The official can change the call, confirm it, or let it stand if there is not clear and convincing evidence to change it. MLB describes a two-minute decision target, with exceptions, so it is not a guaranteed maximum. If a call changes, the replay official determines the appropriate placement of the teams and runners. The replay decision is final and cannot be reviewed again. See MLB’s replay-review glossary.
- The team’s allotment is updated. If at least one challenged call on the play is overturned, the team keeps its challenge—even if another challenged call is upheld. If none is overturned, the team loses a challenge.
How many replay challenges teams get in the postseason
Each club begins each postseason game with two manager replay challenges, according to MLB’s postseason FAQ. A challenge is not automatically used up just because the call is upheld: it is charged only when the team does not get at least one challenged call overturned.
Which calls can be reviewed?
MLB’s listed reviewable areas include force and tag plays; certain boundary and fair-or-foul decisions; outfield catch-or-trap calls; hit-by-pitch; timing plays; touching a base; runners passing; tag-ups; some runner-placement rulings; and specified record-keeping and interference calls. The categories have qualifications, so this list is illustrative rather than an exhaustive rulebook checklist. For an unusual play, consult the current MLB replay-review rules rather than assuming it is reviewable.
Manager replay challenges and ABS challenges are different
| Process | What it contests | Who initiates it | Postseason treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manager replay challenge | Eligible calls under MLB replay rules | The manager, promptly after the play | Two challenges per team at the start of each game; a successful challenge is retained |
| ABS Challenge System | A ball-or-strike judgment | A player, immediately after the pitch | In 2026, operates in the postseason under the regular-season rules; it is separate from the manager’s replay allotment |
Under MLB’s 2026 ABS explanation, a player must request a challenge immediately after the pitch—roughly within two seconds—with an exception for certain plays that continue. If an ABS challenge is followed by a potential replay review, umpires check for a manager replay request before restarting the pitch clock. The postseason FAQ confirms that ABS uses the regular-season rules in 2026; it is not an additional manager challenge.
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When umpires can start a review
Not every review has to begin with a manager’s challenge. MLB permits crew-chief review of potential home runs at any time and review of other eligible calls beginning in the eighth inning under specified conditions. The manager-challenge count and a crew-chief-initiated review are distinct procedures; the exact conditions for a particular play are governed by MLB’s current replay regulations.
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What to expect from the review
- The manager must identify the call or calls being challenged, not provide an argument.
- Replay officials use the video feeds available for that play, which can differ from one review to another.
- A call stands when there is not clear and convincing evidence to change it.
- MLB gives a two-minute decision target with exceptions, not a promise that every review will finish within two minutes.
- Once the replay official decides, that decision is final.
