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MLB MLB's ABS System Luke Keaschall had one hit and one unsuccessful ball-strike challenge in four plate appearances Saturday against the Rays. Jordan Johnson / Imagn Images MINNEAPOLIS — Josh Bell challenged a called strike in the first inning Saturday night and lost a battle with baseball’s newest robot, the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system. Two innings later, Luke Keaschall also unsuccessfully challenged a call. The two early misses in a 7-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday meant the Minnesota Twins were out of challenges with six-plus innings to play, a position they’ve rarely found themselves in early in the season. Even though Keaschall would have benefited from having a challenge later in the same at-bat when a ball was incorrectly called a strike in a 3-2 count, the Twins’ coaching staff was OK with his process. Advertisement After only eight games, manager Derek Shelton’s staff understands that for the Twins to continue being baseball’s most aggressive team in challenging calls, and one of its most successful, players must be empowered to choose and also know the coaches support their decisions. The Twins believe their players’ collective aggressive mindset and a pair of catchers who thoroughly understand the strike zone are two key reasons the team leads the league by a wide margin in challenges requested as well as conversions. “We don’t have any cheat codes, ” Twins assistant bench coach Mike Rabelo said. “We challenged them to be aggressive, and they’ve been great. ‘Be aggressive. You don’t get to keep these challenges. They don’t carry over. Use them. ’ It’s a use-or-lose-it situation, and lucky for us, they have been nails. ” According to data from Tap To Challenge, the Twins have requested 30 ABS challenges through eight games, nine more than the next closest team in the majors (New York Yankees). Their 19 successful challenges are five more than the Yankees. By comparison, 28 of baseball’s 30 teams have issued 18 or fewer challenges. What makes those numbers ironic is that last Sunday, Shelton made baseball history in Baltimore when he became the first person ejected over an ABS dispute. Shelton wasn’t arguing the robot’s decision, but rather that umpires gave the Orioles too much time to challenge a ninth-inning ball called against Bell — an overturn that led to a strikeout. “I’m not anti-robot, ” Shelton said Friday. “I don’t know why everyone thinks I’m anti-robot, or Instagram thinks I’m anti-robot. I actually love the ABS. Had an issue with the timing of one of them, but I think I was wrong. I was told that I was wrong. I was wrong. “But no, I think ABS has been really effective. I like how it’s working out, and I’m pleased because I think we’ve done a good job with it. ” The Twins think Ryan Jeffers’ and Victor Caratini’s thorough understanding of the strike zone is key to their success. Jeffers and Caratini demonstrated good decision-making during spring training, continuing what Jeffers and former Twin Christian Vázquez showed when ABS was first tested last spring. Advertisement After experimenting with the process early in the exhibition season, bench coach Mark Hallberg said the Twins started to discuss how they wanted to use ABS once the season began. During that period, the Twins made it clear they implicitly trust Jeffers’ and Caratini’s view of the zone. “We went over different situations and strategies, ” Jeffers said. “We knew it was going to be an important part of the game. We have the freedom to challenge pitches we think are called incorrectly. ” The two have combined for a league-high 14 defensive challenges and converted nine of them. Their nine conversions lead the league. Following Saturday’s two misses, Twins hitters are 10-for-16. For comparison, the Cleveland Guardians are 2-for-13 in all of their challenges this season. Already, the Twins have seen the calls benefit them and play crucial roles in victories. Not only are Jeffers and Caratini picking good pitches to challenge, but they’re also choosing effective moments. The team’s 1. 81 Call Leverage Index ranks No. 3 in the majors. It’s plus-0. 199 Net Win Probability Added ranks No. 4 in the majors. The team also thinks its season-high nine challenges in a 13-9 loss at Kansas City on Wednesday impacted Thursday’s series finale. Down 12-1 on Wednesday, the Twins used an 8-for-9 ABS effort to help chip away at the deficit and ultimately forced the Royals to bring in closer Lucas Erceg. The Twins then won the series finale, 5-1. “When you can switch count leverages in big moments and change base/out states (run expectancy charts), those are all factors, and how many run-scoring opportunities you get, ” Hallberg said. “When you’re down in the game and you make their closer (enter) and keep fighting throughout the night, some of those overturns (Wednesday) gave us the opportunity to come back. It stung to lose the game, but our guys fought and our competitive spirit was intact. We made them work. We got their closer up. That impacted the next day, and I hope our team continues to do that throughout the season. ” Advertisement As long as the support from the coaching staff continues to be unwavering, the Twins likely will maintain their aggressive state of mind. Given what he’s seen from his perch next to Shelton in the dugout, assistant bench coach Mike Rabelo wants players to continue impacting games with aggressive mindsets and sharp eyes. “You have to support, ” said Rabelo, who caught in the Detroit Tigers and then-Florida Marlins farm systems in the 2000s. “If we use both of (our challenges) and lose them early in the game, you have to support that notion. You can’t go both ways. We want them to be aggressive, and if we blow them early, hang with ’em, man. They took a shot. One run in the first is the same as one run in the eighth or ninth. Don’t doubt them. ” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Dan Hayes is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Minnesota Twins. Dan joined The Athletic after 5 1/2 years at NBC Sports Chicago and eight years at The North County Times, where he covered the Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, four World Series, the NBA Finals, NHL Stanley Cup Final, NASCAR, UFC, Little League World Series, PGA and the NFL. Follow Dan on Twitter @Dan Hayes MLB