When AI Takes the Mound
Baseball has long marched toward the numbers: on-base percentages, pitch spin rates, exit velocity—you name it. And 25 years after Moneyball made sabermetrics mainstream, it’s official: AI has now made its managerial debut on a baseball diamond.
Only this time, it wasn’t at the Coliseum—it was at Raimondi Park. On Saturday, the upstart Oakland Ballers became the first professional team ever to hand over on-field decisions to an artificial intelligence system. Manager Aaron Miles, normally the guy choosing lineups, pitching changes, and defensive alignments, took a seat behind an iPad—his new sidekick dubbed AaronLytics, built by tech firm Distillery.
Cue the mental flashback to Moneyball and Oakland’s embrace of data-driven decisions—only now we’re talking about letting software make the calls in real time, not just pre-game charting. It’s the logical next step in baseball’s analytics evolution, but also a hefty dose of theater for Fan Appreciation Day.
Miles, a 2006 World Series champ and beloved Ballers skipper, wasn’t hiding from the experiment—in fact, he invited it. “If you let AI crunch stats at warp speed,” he said, “it could find its place in the game.”
And yet, just like any first outing, there were bumps. The AI didn’t know the league’s quirky “Knock Out” extra-innings rule—so engineers had to scramble a rule update mid-game. Stats feed glitches meant staff had to manually update the system as the game unfolded.
Still, the AI mostly did what anyone else would—calling pinch runners, relievers, and even suggesting hit-and-runs with logical precision. In one moment, it put speed on the basepaths; in another, it called for the closer when convention might suggest otherwise. And almost always, Miles—looking on—nodded along. The Ballers won 3–2, capped by a Knock Out homer run run-down performance by Cam Bufford.
Fans were a mix of amused, impressed—or dismayed. One even made a sign saying, “AI prefer Aaron Miles,” crossing out the “A.” Still, curiosity reigned supreme. After all, it’s hard to not crack a smile when an iPad shakes hands with umpires during the lineup exchange.
Distillery CEO Paul Freedman emphasized this isn’t about replacing managers, but sparking debate on how analytics and AI might augment decision-making. The experience, he hopes, could shine a light on ways AI might assist—but not supplant—human judgment.
And here’s the human-element mic drop: baseball is messy, emotional, intuitive. Will an algorithm sense a veteran’s fatigue or a hot streak? Will it cut a struggling reliever even though they’re “due”? The game isn’t always rational, and that’s its charm.
Final Pitch
Baseball is playing out on two fronts now: the classic—and the computational. Moneyball might have ushered in the analytics revolution; this AI experiment may hint at baseball’s next frontier.
Oakland’s gamble on AI was bold, playful, and, at times, bumpy—but it worked. It brought fans together, made us ask questions, and—most importantly—got us talking about the future of the game.
There will always be a place for human intuition in dugouts. But on Saturday, the numbers got a voice—and for one night, AI played ball.
Evan R. Guido, Senior Wealth Advisor, is the Founder of Aksala Wealth Advisors LLC, a 2026 Forbes Best in State Wealth Advisor, a 2018 Forbes Top Next-Gen Advisors award recipient. Evan heads a team of financial strategists for clients who consider themselves the “Millionaire Next Door.” He can be reached at 941-500-5122 Aksala.com eguido@aksalawealth.com 6260 Lake Osprey Dr. Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240. Securities offered through Cetera Wealth Services, LLC member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory Services offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, a registered investment adviser. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other named entity. The views and opinions presented in this article are those of Evan R. Guido and not of Cetera or its subsidiaries. These opinions are based on Evan’s observations and research and are not intended to predict or depict performance of any investment. These views are subject to change based on subsequent developments. Information is based on sources believed to be reliable; however, their accuracy or completeness cannot be guaranteed. These views should not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any securities and purely for education and entertainment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The Top Next Gen list includes 250 rising advisors who help manage over $490 billion in client assets. Each advisor was nominated by their firm, then vetted and ranked by SHOOK Research. The rankings, developed by SHOOK Research, are based on an algorithm of qualitative criterion, mostly gained through telephone and in-person due diligence interviews, and quantitative data. Those advisors who are considered have a minimum of four years' experience and the algorithm weighs factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience and those that encompass the highest standards of best practices. The Forbes ranking of Best-In-State Wealth Advisors, developed by SHOOK Research, is based on an algorithm of qualitative data, rating thousands of wealth advisors with a minimum of seven years' experience and weighing factors like revenue trends, assets under management, compliance records, industry experience, and best practices learned through telephone and in-person interviews. Portfolio performance is not a criteria due to varying client objectives and lack of audited data. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK receive a fee in exchange for rankings. Listings in these publications and/or awards are not guarantees of future investment success. These recognitions should not be construed as endorsements of the advisor by any clients. No compensation was provided directly or indirectly by the recipient for participation or in connection with obtaining or using these third-party ratings or award.