Orioles' Ryan Helsley challenge sparks first ABS ejection in MLB history

Matt Weyrich, The Baltimore Sun on Mar 29, 2026

Published in Baseball

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A new way for MLB managers be ejected was just unlocked.

Minnesota Twins skipper Derek Shelton was tossed from Sunday’s game against the Orioles in the ninth inning after arguing that Baltimore closer Ryan Helsley didn’t tap his cap quickly enough to signal for an automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge.

“I didn’t think Helsley tapped his hat quick enough,” Shelton said after the Orioles’ 8-6 victory. “Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. But I didn’t feel he did. I feel it’s got to be something that’s in the three seconds, and I didn’t think it was there. But the umpiring crew thought it was.”

Helsley challenged a ball four call by home plate umpire Chris Segal on a full count to designated hitter Josh Bell. He tapped his cap as he stepped off the mound through his delivery, but Segal didn’t see it at first, so Helsley motioned again. ABS then showed that the ball caught the outside of the zone, and Bell was retired for the second out of the inning.

Shelton immediately ran out of the third-base dugout, shouting toward Segal. Second base umpire Laz Díaz came to his defense, vouching for Helsley signaling on time. The Twins manager continued to show his frustration, and Segal tossed him. A heated back-and-forth at home plate between Shelton and the umpires ensued.

“I understood where he was coming from, because I felt like the umpire didn’t see me right away, and so I was kind of confused,” Helsley said. “Laz [Díaz] behind me kind of took up for him. He was like, ‘He did it right away,’ which I know we’re probably going to go through some growing pains with this since so new, and I think we saw that today. And I can respect Shelton for trying to not get him to do it there, because it did seem like it was a little long in that moment.”

The challenge was one of 10 issued by the two teams in the game, with seven of Segal’s calls reversed by ABS, including two Orioles-challenged balls in the ninth. Baltimore went 5-for-6 on its challenges after issuing just one challenge over the team’s first two games combined.

Helsley was the first Orioles pitcher to issue a challenge, something he expects to continue doing in key situations — something closers face more often than not.

“For me, I want to be 100% sure,” Helsley said. “In that moment it’s either, obviously, originally it was called a ball, so it’d have been first and second, and that’s a lot harder than two outs with a guy on first, and I felt like I made a good pitch and if we miss right there, at least we know it’s for sure a ball.”

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