The Boston Red Sox have a problem, and it's not their batting average. Through the first month of the 2025 MLB season, no team in the league has challenged fewer calls under the new Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge system than the Red Sox. While the system was greeted with skepticism by some purists at the start of the season, it has quickly become a standard part of the game. But in Boston, it seems the challenge flag is staying firmly on the bench.

So far, the Red Sox have issued just 45 challenges across 37 games. That puts them dead last in the league in total usage. For context, the New York Yankees—who have played a similar number of games—have already matched that total with 45 challenges of their own, and they're tied for the second-most at the plate. The difference? The Yankees are using the system to their advantage, while Boston is leaving opportunities on the field.

Let's break it down. Batters for the Red Sox have challenged 24 calls, winning 11 and losing 13. That's a respectable success rate, but the volume simply isn't there. On the defensive side, the story gets even more telling. Red Sox catchers have gone to their heads just 20 times, and only a single pitcher has initiated a challenge. Compare that to the Miami Marlins, who lead the league with 67 defensive challenges and have won 40 of them. It's a stark contrast that suggests Boston is either overly cautious or simply not engaged with the new rules.

The most frustrating part? There's no penalty for being wrong. Each team gets two challenges per game, and if you're right, you keep them. The Red Sox's reluctance to use the system feels like a missed opportunity—literally. They're leaving strikes on the table, and in a tight playoff race where they're just 1.5 games out of the Wild Card picture, every call matters.

For a team that prides itself on fundamentals and preparation, this is a glaring hole in their game plan. Whether it's a lack of trust in the system or a simple oversight, the Red Sox need to start challenging more—or risk letting wins slip through their fingers.