We all knew that not everything was going to go smoothly, even with the ABS in play. Any ABS call has to be challenged within two seconds of the umpire’s call, and that’s the rule. But during the game, the Twins’ manager Derek Shelton thought that Ryan Helsley took too long to challenge the call and argued with the umpires. That is when Shelton made history.

We all know that if you are going to argue with the umpires, they are going to eject you, and that is exactly what happened.

Now, Orioles’ $14M star Ryan Helsley has come out and actually sympathized with the Twins’ manager. Helsley said, “I understood where he was coming from, because I felt like the umpire didn’t see me right away.”

Ryan Helsley says that he tapped his head as soon as the 3-2 call was made, but the umpire Chris Segal didn’t see it the first time. That is when Laz Diaz stepped in and backed Helsley, saying that he did make the call instantly, and he did it fairly. Helsley backed himself and said, “It did seem like it was a little long in that moment.”

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But when the ABS challenge was taken into consideration, manager Derek Shelton stormed out to the middle and started to argue about it.

It was a very serious situation for the Twins because they were one away, with a man on first, and the Orioles were leading the game 8-6. If Josh Bell had gotten on base, it would have brought the tying run at first with just one out.

But instead, the call showed that the ball had just clipped the zone, turning ball four into strike three and an out. Shelton argued that the timing for the call exceeded 3 seconds, making the challenge invalid. Shelton kept arguing for several seconds after Chris Segal issued the ejection call.

This became history as Derek Shelton became the first manager to be ejected over an ABS dispute.

What made this even more ironic is that before the game started, Derek Shelton said that he wouldn’t be the first manager to get ejected this season, as Alex Cora had been ejected just before. But it didn’t take him long to get into the books.

Helsley later said such confusion shows early growing pains with ABS timing rules. He added that players and umpires will need more games before decisions become smoother and more consistent.

What does the Twins’ manager’s ejection tell us about ABS?

The Minnesota Twins stepped into the ABS era using 11 challenges and winning 64 percent of decisions. Over three games, they saw innings end on overturned calls and missed chances hurt.

Players quickly understood that challenges could flip counts instantly, especially during full count situations late. Inside the clubhouse, discussions focused on timing, usage rules, and reading the strike zone better. Coaches began forming clear plans, while catchers like Ryan Jeffers handled most early decisions.

That learning phase showed clearly during a ninth-inning moment involving Derek Shelton and Ryan Helsley.

With two outs and an 8-6 score, Helsley challenged a 3-2 pitch to Josh Bell. Replays showed delayed signals, yet umpires allowed the challenge, raising questions about timing rules. Shelton believed requests must come within three seconds, questioning the consistency of Laz Diaz and the crew.

At the same time, hitters like Royce Lewis hesitated, saving challenges for clearer and bigger moments.

That hesitation really came back to bite them. Matt Wallner burned a crucial challenge with the bases loaded. And since Byron Buxton had already unsuccessfully used one earlier in the game, the Twins found themselves completely out of reviews heading into the late innings.

Soon after, Mick Abel threw a pitch to Gunnar Henderson, which appeared to be a strike. However, it was called a ball. Unable to challenge, it led directly to a walk. The Orioles scored three runs in that inning, showing the impact of having no challenges left.

Still, earlier games showed ABS working quickly, as shown by Justin Topa’s overturned strike that ended an inning fast.

Ultimately, the Twins’ early experiences with the ABS reveal that this is as much a test of strategy as it is of accuracy. For the Twins and the rest of MLB, mastering the ABS will require more than just a good eye. It will demand a team-wide strategy to know when exactly to opt for a challenge.