The Cincinnati Reds celebrated a 10-8 victory over the Chicago Cubs, with the Cubs facing troubles in their bullpen during the game’s late innings. A significant postgame discussion focused on home plate umpire Bill Miller’s 0-for-8 record with challenges on the automated ball-strike system (ABS), as all eight challenged calls were overturned. The Cubs succeeded in five challenges, while the Reds won three.

This matchup marked notable changes in baseball, highlighted by the impact of robot ump challenges. Early in the game, Miller ruled a fastball from Reds pitcher Rhett Lowder as a ball, but an ABS challenge overturned this, confirming the pitch was in the strike zone. Despite Miller’s prior ABS controversies, it was an unusually difficult game, with seven more calls overturned. Only two initial strike calls stood among those disputed.

Chicago catcher Carson Kelly contested four pitches, Reds star Jose Trevino contested two, and challenges came from both Sal Stewart and Seiya Suzuki from the batter’s box. Suzuki managed a double against the Reds in the game’s eighth inning.

Tyler Stephenson of the Reds chose not to challenge any calls, though he leads the majors with 88 turnovers from 124 attempts. Miller faced ABS scrutiny before, notably during a Reds game where umpiring mishaps and a collision with infielder Edwin Arroyo skewed play, leaving Miller in an unfavorable spotlight.

Cincinnati reliever Caleb Ferguson experienced a hot-mic moment, expressing frustration towards Miller after the incident. Ferguson apologized for his unprofessional reaction, acknowledging it as out of place.

Data from TapToChallenge.com identifies Miller’s outing as a low point since the ABS system’s inception in 2026. With 70 overturned calls, Miller ranks ninth among umpires in Major League Baseball. Others topping the list include Hunter Wendelstedt, Dan Iassogna, Malachi Moore, Lance Barrett, and Manny Gonzalez.