For the first time since 2022, Major League Baseball is returning to the iconic cornfields of Dyersville, Iowa.
In one of the season's most anticipated spectacles, Kyle Schwarber and the Philadelphia Phillies will face Kody Clemens and the Minnesota Twins inthe 2026 Field of Dreams Game, bringing big-league baseball back to one of the sport's most unique settings.
Aaron Nola is slated to start for the Phillies opposite the Twins' Taj Bradley, with first pitch set for 7:30 p.m. ET just beyond the cornfields made famous by the 1989 film starring Kevin Costner, offering a blend of baseball nostalgia and modern star power unlike any other event on the MLB calendar.
Before first pitch,
Thursday's game is expected to feature an elaborate pregame ceremony reminiscent of an All-Star Game, complete with what is likely to be a recreation of the film's iconic cornfield scene. One modern element, however, will be missing from the game itself: the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System, which has become a familiar and strategic part of the game this season.
Here's what to know:
Is there ABS in Field of Dreams Game?
No, MLB's Automated Ball-Strike technology will not be involved in Thursday's Field of Dreams Game.
Why is there no ABS challenge for Field of Dreams Game?
The reason the Phillies and Twins won't have two ABS challenges at their disposal is rather explanatory: technology.
As noted by Matt Gelb of The Athletic, the newly renovated 8,000-seat ballpark in Dyersville, Iowa did not have the league's ABS technology installed with it. Both teams were made aware of the situation well in advance of the game, as ABS is in its first season of use league-wide.
Thursday's commemorative game won't be the first game not played in a traditional MLB ballpark that won't have ABS, as the Mexico City Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres back in April did not have it.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why does the Field of Dreams Game not have ABS challenge? What to know
