MLB The Show 26 May Spotlight Drop 3 Program Guide | The free rewards you'd be absolutely crazy to skip

Recommended Article

• MLB The Show 26 Rivalry Weekend Recap Program Guide | Skip the hardest challenges and still maximize your rewards!

  Although the recent reception for MLB The Show 26 has been somewhat mixed, if you intend to keep playing, you'll need to actively participate in every new program released to bolster your team roster!

  Among the popular programs launched this week are Mural Program and Rivalry Weekend Recap. While the former is part of a larger, more extensive series, the latter, though smaller in scale, offers several excellent free player cards!

  In this guide, we'll walk you through the complete Rivalry Weekend Recap Program, ensuring you don't miss out on a single player card reward!

  

  Rivalry Weekend Recap Program duration

  This program went live this Wednesday, May 20th. The exact end date has not yet been announced; however, judging by its scope, it is expected to run for approximately 1 to 2 weeks.

  Therefore, to play it safe, we recommend earning enough Program XP to unlock all rewards within the span of a single week if possible.

  What rewards can you earn?

  Rivalry Weekend Recap Program reward path consists of five tiers, each awarding a specific player card. This means you don't have to worry about the randomness of card packs resulting in duplicate players or cards of low value!

  Unlocking all rewards requires earning a total of 50 XP, with a new card awarded for every 10 XP accumulated:

  • 10 XP: Edgar Quero
  • 20 XP: Tyrone Taylor
  • 30 XP: Munetaka Murakami
  • 40 XP: Cam Schlittler
  • 50 XP: Shohei Ohtani

  The ultimate reward, Topps Now Shohei Ohtani card, boasts an impressive OVR 94. Furthermore, as a player for Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani is an incredibly popular figure in the sport.

  In-game, this card features excellent stats across the board, covering Power, Contact, Pitching, Baserunning, and Versatility, making it an ideal addition to your roster.

  How to earn rewards?

  Rivalry Weekend Recap Program offers two primary methods for earning XP: Missions and Moments. Completing all available missions yields 41 XP, while completing all moments yields 34 XP.

  Since the total available XP adds up to 75, you are free to mix and match Missions and Moments based on your personal preferences or areas of expertise, provided, of course, that you earn at least 50 XP in total.

  Below are the names of all missions, their specific requirements, and the corresponding XP rewards:

  Mission	Mission Requirement	XP Reward
  HR w/Catchers	Hit 3 home runs with Catchers	5 Program XP
  HR w/Left Fielders	Hit 3 home runs with Left Fielders	5 Program XP
  HR w/First Basemen	Hit 3 home runs with First Basemen	5 Program XP
  Ks w/Yankees Pitchers	Record 9 strikeouts with any Yankees pitcher	5 Program XP
  XBH w/Dodgers	Hit 5 extra-base hits with any Dodgers player	5 Program XP
  PXP w/Topps Now Series Players	Earn 2,000 PXP cumulatively with Topps Now Series players	3 Program XP
  PXP w/Topps Now Series Players (Advanced)	Earn 4,000 PXP cumulatively with any Topps Now Series player	3 Program XP
  PXP w/Rivalry Weekend Program Players	Earn 1,000 PXP cumulatively with any Rivalry Weekend Program player	5 Program XP
  PXP w/Any Players	Earn 10,000 PXP cumulatively with any player	5 Program XP

  Below are all the moments. With the exception of the final one, which offers 10 Program XP, all others award 3 XP:

  • Schlittler Silences the Mets
  • Murakami Goes Deep Twice
  • Harper Takes on Skenes
  • Taylor Stuns the Yankees
  • Quero Walks It Off
  • Arraez Owns the Bay
  • Ohtani Fuels the Freeway Series
  • Sheets Crushes Seattle
  • OPTIONAL EXTREME: Guardians Go Yard

  To complete this final moment, which is more difficult but offers a higher XP reward, you must hit multiple home runs using Cleveland Guardians players.

  To achieve this, it is highly recommended that you first buy MLB 26 stubs on IGGM to acquire powerful hitters. After all, the rewards within Rivalry Weekend Recap Program do not include Stubs or Cleveland Guardians players.

  Generally speaking, players who belong to All-Time Best rosters, or pitchers capable of throwing fastballs while ahead in the count, make for excellent choices.

  Building upon this foundation, you must also master the precise positioning and timing of your PCI to successfully complete this specific Moment with the fewest possible attempts.

  The best strategy for unlocking rewards

  While Guardians Go Yard Moment is notoriously difficult to complete, the other eight Moments are relatively straightforward; therefore, you should prioritize completing all of them first to earn 24 XP.

  This approach leaves you needing to earn just 26 additional XP to reach your goal. To achieve this, as you progress through the various missions, you may opt to skip the optional and often extremely difficult Home Run challenges.

  However, if you do possess the skill to complete Home Run Challenges, it is highly advisable to stack your lineup with as many eligible players as the restrictions allow, aiming to complete multiple Home Run Missions within a single game whenever possible.

  Furthermore, when earning PXP using Topps Now Series players, the most efficient strategy is to accumulate 4,000 PXP in a single session, as this allows you to instantly complete two separate missions simultaneously.

  It is anticipated that over the coming months, MLB The Show 26 will continue its current cadence of releasing one or two minor programs each week, while simultaneously maintaining ongoing updates for its various monthly series.

  Although this approach has drawn some criticism from the player base, it appears the developers currently have no plans to alter their strategy. Consequently, the best course of action for you is simply to buckle down and complete all the new programs as they become available!

• MLB The Show 26 Two-Month Review | The Split Reality of Market Collapse and Gameplay Evolution

  Players, it's been two months since MLB The Show 26 was released, and it's now presenting a somewhat complex situation. On one hand, the development team has made some delightful innovations in certain systems; on the other hand, the game is revealing increasingly deeper problems in areas such as the economy and gameplay. Has the development team already turned their attention to the next generation of games?

  Three Commendable Aspects

  Mini Seasons Customizable Upgrades

  Mini Seasons are no longer as frustrating as last year. This year, new features have been added, including customizable season length and match duration, along with recurring objectives and item exchange systems, significantly increasing re-playability.

  While the game still forces players to invest a significant amount of time grinding Mini Seasons, the mechanics themselves represent a huge improvement. Hopefully, future updates will allow for fully immersive customization, such as replacing other teams with real MLB teams instead of fake rosters.

  

  Amazing Number of Cards

  Even if not every card is top-tier, the number of diamond cards released this year is astonishing. Almost every team has at least eight diamond cards, with each update releasing over thirty cards at once.

  This high density theoretically does increase roster diversity, but it was subsequently stifled by an unbalanced meta and a reduction mechanism. However, in terms of sheer volume of content, it's still commendable.

  Parallel Mods

  Parallel Mods are this year's most valuable innovation, allowing players to focus on improving a player's specific ability. For example, enhancing the outfielder's defensive speed or specifically boosting the batter's strength. This greatly encourages players to experiment with different cards and play according to their personal style.

  More importantly, players can turn off these mods at any time, reverting to the traditional +1 to all attributes per level. This truly allows players to play the way they want.

  However, Parallel Mods have a significant flaw: the requirements for relief pitchers are extremely unreasonable. Unlocking a certain mod requires pitching 90 innings, which practically excludes relief pitchers from enjoying the system, exposing a crude design threshold.

  A Barrage of Deep-Seated Negative Issues

  Menu Lag

  While the new menu escaped the aesthetic fatigue of previous years, the actual experience was disastrous. The menu is extremely laggy and slow, often requiring more than ten seconds of waiting after an action to register. It's even difficult to tell whether the game has crashed or is still loading.

  This inevitably raises suspicions that the development team used AI to generate the menu architecture, but regardless, their design logic was utterly chaotic. Multiple performance updates failed to fundamentally solve the problem, representing a failure at the most basic level.

  Shrinkage Mechanism

  Shrinkage is like a cancer in online games, forcibly shrinking the player's hitting radius and increasing the difficulty of hitting the ball. It directly led to the current meta being dominated by ambidextrous hitters.

  A healthy online game would proactively balance overly strong metas, but MLB 26 development team did nothing. This severely damaged the diversity and immersion of online matches, becoming one of the most infuriating design decisions.

  Strike Zone Penalties

  The initial adjustments to the strike zone were met with fierce criticism from players. In the early stages of the game, players genuinely found the strike zone penalties annoying. After two months, players have gradually accepted the adjustment.

  The new mechanism awards more balls that touch the edge as strikes, forcing batters to take more initiative. Gameplay is smoother, and the game's realism has actually increased.

  A Monotonous Gameplay Cycle

  Aside from the previous Egg Hunt Program which offered some surprises, almost all content updates have been geared towards the same goal: playing matches, grinding stats, and unlocking player cards.

  For high-ranking players, their strongest lineups are already set; new cards are merely decorative, with the vast majority never getting a chance to be used.

  Market Manipulation

  The game's economy system has reached new heights of exploitation this year. The developers limit each player to investing in only 20 cards, drastically reduce the frequency of player stat updates, and even keep players whose performance has plummeted at high-priced diamond cards. The aim is likely to increase the difficulty of completing collectible sets.

  The most extreme example is Shohei Ohtani. After the price cap on MLB 26 stubs was removed, its price skyrocketed to 13 million stubs, compared to the original cap of approximately 500,000. This effectively forced players to abandon normal market trading.

  For ordinary players, this is blatant suppression, and this trend continues and worsens every year.

  Operational Communication

  MLB 26's community communication also plummeted this year.

  A typical example is that the official team initially announced the removal of a mechanism strongly opposed by players, stating that they had heard their voices.

  However, after the game's release, the mechanism remained, and they later posted an arrogant statement saying they simply wouldn't change it.

  This approach of appeasement followed by mockery completely destroyed player trust, and the quality of communication within the development team fluctuates annually, seemingly depending entirely on who was in power at the time.

  While the flaws of MLB 26 may not be substantially changed this year, we still hope to see reforms to provide a unique experience for players who love baseball games.

• MLB The Show 26 Investment Guide before June 5 Roster Update | Which players to load up on right now?

  The next major roster update for MLB The Show 26 arrives on June 5, when the developers will adjust player card ratings based on real-life performances from the past period. Astute players may have already realized this presents a solid investment opportunity.

  With about two weeks left before the statistical cut-off, that means pitchers have roughly two or three more starts remaining, while hitters have around 50 plate appearances. You'll need to track and evaluate which players are excelling and which are struggling. Based on your judgments, you can then sell or invest in players - come June 5, you'll be able to earn a substantial number of stubs.

  

  Players Likely to Receive a Boost

  85 OVR Andy Pages

  In the first in-season rating update on May 8, Andy Pages had already moved up from Gold to Diamond status thanks to his strong start to the year.

  He's currently batting .299 with 10 home runs. Over the past two weeks, his average has risen noticeably. His defense is even more impressive, ranking among the best in MLB. He's on an upward trajectory, and barring any surprises, he should see another rating increase.

  85 OVR Kyle Schwarber

  Kyle Schwarber is currently at quicksell value, but he's a highly reliable veteran hitter who has been especially hot of late - he's been hitting a home run just about every other day, sometimes more. He just became the fastest to reach 20 home runs on the season, with nine homers over his last 15 games.

  In MLB 26, his power numbers against both lefties and righties have room to be raised. However, because Schwarber has never been known for his defense, his overall rating might only go up by one point - unless he maintains his current home-run pace. It's recommended to stock up on 10 to 20 copies of Kyle Schwarber.

  85 OVR Cristopher Sánchez

  Cristopher Sánchez hasn't suffered a loss since April 18. He's thrown 24 consecutive scoreless innings across games, and his streak without allowing an earned run once reached 29.2 frames. Over his last three starts, all wins, he has racked up 30 strikeouts against just one walk. Looking at the entire season, he's been among the elite. His overall rating could rise by two points. He's definitely worth investing in.

  84 OVR Shea Langeliers

  Shea Langeliers started the game cycle at 79 OVR, but thanks to his outstanding play, his Live Series card has already been upgraded once to 84 OVR, with a boost to his defensive rating as well.

  Through mid-May, his hitting has been excellent, with overall offensive production above league average. He's hit 12 home runs, making him one of his team's primary power bats. Even while hitting those homers, he's maintained a batting average of .332 or even .337. This kind of performance makes it highly likely he'll be promoted again to Diamond status.

  83 OVR Drake Baldwin

  Drake Baldwin has crushed five home runs over his last 15 games. Although his in-game power numbers aren't particularly high, his 13 real-life homers are more than enough to push for a +2 upgrade.

  He has the potential to become a Diamond card. However, Baldwin was just placed on injured list (IL) with a right oblique strain. This could affect his rating increase. If he misses too much time, the developers might opt to give him only 1 point bump.

  83 OVR Elly De La Cruz

  Elly De La Cruz is riding a 10-game hitting streak, during which he's had seven multi-hit performances. Over his last 10 games, he's batting .333. He also hit a game-winning three-run homer in a single contest, bringing his home run total to 11, and he's swiped nine bases on the season.

  All things considered, De La Cruz has been nearly flawless, and he's healthy with no injury concerns. His contact and power ratings are both poised for an upgrade, and his overall rating could climb as high as 86. He's an absolute S-tier investment target - just stock up on him, and you'll earn MLB The Show 26 stubs.

  82 OVR Ben Rice

  His triple-slash line is an astronomical .343/.455/.759, with a jaw-dropping 1.214 OPS. Those numbers have made him a league leader in both OPS and slugging percentage at various points. Additionally, his home run stats are superb: 12 homers and 27 RBIs.

  His current rating simply doesn't match his production. A three-point bump could push him all the way to Diamond level.

  Players Likely to Be Downgraded

  85 OVR Seiya Suzuki

  Seiya Suzuki's batting average has plummeted to .196 over his last 15 games. He hasn't been able to sustain the hot form he showed during the first roster update. His fielding and speed in the game are middling - not his strong suits, and unlikely to see major improvement based on in-season performance. Unless he turns things around in the next two weeks, the developers will probably lower his numbers.

  85 OVR Mike Trout

  Mike Trout has been plagued by recurring injuries throughout May, and his season is essentially over. His recent batting average has been terrible, no longer matching his in-game ratings. The best-case scenario is that the developers show mercy and leave him unchanged; otherwise, his overall rating could drop by two or even three points.

  84 OVR Yandy Díaz

  Yandy Díaz has very high Contact ratings in the game. In reality, he's hitting .295 against both lefties and righties - which merely maintains his high Contact rather than improving it. What he needs is power production. He's hit two home runs recently, but his average continues to decline.

  More critically, during a game on May 19 against Orioles, he was hit by a pitch on his finger in the 8th inning and left early. Since it was a direct blow to bone and joint, and the developers are highly unlikely to risk a rating increase for a player who might miss games, a downgrade is much more probable.

  84 OVR Matt Olson

  Matt Olson has only three home runs over his last 15 games - he's cooling off. The problem is that his in-game baseline ratings are so high that they actually limit his upside. Continuing his hot streak would only allow him to barely hold his current rating. Given his recent form, he might see a slight downgrade.

  84 OVR Nico Hoerner

  Nico Hoerner's performance has taken a sharp downturn over his last 24 games. His triple-slash line has fallen to a dismal .194/.290/.247, with just five doubles providing his only extra-base contributions. If he continues at or below this level, he's very likely to be downgraded.

  If, however, he can string together home runs over the next two weeks, there's a slim chance he could rise to Diamond. So you can hold a small number, but don't waste too many stubs on him.

  Beyond the names listed above, the performance fluctuations for other players are smaller. That doesn't mean they aren't worth investing in, though. You'll need to closely monitor their upcoming performances to make accurate judgments.

• Is MLB The Show 26 Diamond Dynasty No Longer Worth Playing? Why is the problem of content scarcity becoming increasingly severe?

  As of now, MLB The Show 26 continues to maintain a relatively steady update rhythm; almost every week, you can unlock additional player cards or packs by participating in new Programs.

  However, this does not necessarily mean the game is entirely satisfactory, or at least, the abundance of new programs seems unable to mask the substantive lack of content within its core mode: Diamond Dynasty.

  In this analysis, we will examine the current state of MLB 26 to determine whether it remains worth playing in the coming weeks, and explore what steps could be taken to improve the experience.

  

  The current state of MLB 26

  Since its launch, beyond its standard gameplay mechanics, MLB The Show 26 has consistently released new standalone programs on schedule, or provided updates to specific ongoing program series.

  Undoubtedly, the most significant ongoing program series is Mural, which launched last Friday. As a major update for the game, this series introduced a massive amount of brand-new player cards, a large-scale collection mission, and other features, making for a truly substantial release.

  To be frank, many of the player cards introduced in this update are exceptional, almost all of them are of God Squad caliber. However, the awkward reality is that, aside from these cards, the game offered no other new content worth engaging with during that same period.

  Subsequently, specifically this Monday, May 18th, a new Showdown event was released; yet, it consisted of only two simple missions that could be easily completed in a matter of minutes.

  Although the milestone card obtainable through this Showdown is entirely free and offers solid performance, the actual gameplay experience it provides feels undeniably repetitive and one-dimensional.

  The dearth of game content

  In fact, this issue is not limited to the past week alone; for the past few months, MLB The Show 26 has followed this exact update pattern.

  It appears, on the surface, that a massive amount of new content is being released every Friday; however, this content is unevenly distributed and often lacks true replayability.

  While other core game modes may not require frequent changes, Diamond Dynasty is fundamentally designed to operate on a live-service model driven by real-time content updates.

  Therefore, it should ideally provide you with a continuous stream of fresh experiences as you progress through the game.

  At the very least, compared to previous entries in the series, such as MLB The Show 21, the current iteration falls short.

  In MLB The Show 21, for instance, players would sometimes receive core content updates as often as three times a week, often interspersed with additional Team Affinity content releases.

  In stark contrast, MLB 26 has gone an entire week without any new content updates on four separate occasions over the past six weeks. Furthermore, looking ahead to the remainder of this week, the only new content you can look forward to is May Spotlight Drop 3 Program.

  Based on experience, it is estimated that completing all the tasks within this program will take you a mere 30 minutes, and that constitutes the entirety of the playable content available to you this week.

  Impact on your experience

  It is important to remember that in MLB 26, collecting cards isn't merely for the sake of collecting; rather, the goal is to strengthen your lineup to unlock more thrilling matchups and secure victories.

  However, the scarcity of playable content means that no matter how many powerful cards you acquire through new programs, you have nowhere to actually put them to use.

  What makes this even more contradictory is that certain game modes which underperformed in MLB 25 have been tweaked in MLB 26 to ensure they offer relevant quest lines and rewards.

  Yet, if these activities aren't kept consistently available, doesn't the update become entirely pointless?

  More specifically, this dearth of content is most acutely felt in the realm of casual, daily gameplay, after all, modes like Weekend Classic and Ranked Seasons always operate on a fixed schedule.

  In short, unless you are the type of MLB 26 player who constantly seeks out highly competitive content, you have likely found yourself in an awkward predicament, wondering what to do next, for the past month or more.

  Even more absurd is the fact that MLB 26 has been out for over two months, yet it continues to be plagued by a ceaseless stream of server outages and in-game disconnection issues. If you are still playing this game right now, you are undoubtedly a true die-hard fan!

  Impact on the game itself

  Even with single-player games, some developers constantly release new patches or mods to enrich the gameplay experience. For a mode like MLB 26 Diamond Dynasty, which requires an internet connection to play, the frequent release of fresh content is even more critical.

  However, the current update cadence for MLB The Show 26 is clearly failing to meet this standard. If this trend continues, you will inevitably drift away to other games, or perhaps simply forget about this one entirely.

  Although the series releases a new installment every year, MLB 27 is still approximately 8 to 9 months away. Moreover, simply waiting for the next title to arrive and salvage the situation is, in itself, an irresponsible approach.

  How can the current situation be improved?

  To be honest, the task facing the development team is quite simple: they need to release new events more frequently, building upon the existing Diamond Dynasty framework, while simultaneously ensuring that the newly released cards actually have opportunities to be used in gameplay.

  Regrettably, even with such a simple requirement, the development team's performance thus far suggests they lack the necessary drive or willingness to bring about any meaningful change to the status quo.

  A game that lacks sufficiently valuable updates, and simultaneously fails to prioritize player feedback and needs, is clearly destined to struggle in its future development.

  However, there remains one distinct possibility: as we enter the second half of the year, more sports video games will probably enter new release cycles, intensifying the competitive landscape.

  Consequently, to ensure that this baseball title remains fresh in your memory until the launch of its next installment, MLB 26 may well introduce more substantial gameplay updates specifically to counter this heightened competition.

  In any case, if you are a devoted fan of virtual baseball games, you will undoubtedly hope to see MLB The Show continue to improve; after all, when compared side-by-side, other similar titles in the genre tend to be far less consistent.

  That concludes our coverage for today. We sincerely hope that MLB 26 takes player feedback to heart and implements these necessary changes as soon as possible!

  ---

  A scarcity of casual gameplay options does not mean you should underestimate the importance of upgrading your roster, as the competition in ranked matches remains consistently fierce.

  To that end, IGGM MLB 26 stubs for sale always serve as your ultimate resource for acquiring high-tier player cards and assembling a formidable team!

  Even if you lack the time to unlock specific cards or packs by completing programs, choosing our service allows you to dive into the competition with complete peace of mind, and makes securing victories far easier!

• MLB The Show 26 Mural Program and Collection Completion Guide | This technique can help you complete tasks quickly

  On May 15, Mural Program makes its way into MLB The Show 26. Its centerpiece rewards are Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Adrián Morejón, though the other prizes along the way are nothing to overlook either.

  This update also brings Mural Series Collection. The final reward for that collection is 90 OVR José Ramirez - a card that not only holds down the hot corner as a primary third baseman but can also fill in at second base, shortstop, and left field, making him exceptionally versatile. Let's break down how to efficiently complete both Mural Program and the accompanying Collection.

  

  Mural Program Reward Path

  • 5 Points: 1,000 XP
  • 10 Points: MLB The Show 26 pack
  • 15 Points: 250 Stubs
  • 20 Points: 91 OVR Mural Adrián Morejón
  • 25 Points: 1,000 XP
  • 30 Points: MLB The Show 26 pack
  • 35 Points: 250 Stubs
  • 40 Points: 91 OVR Mural Hunter Goodman
  • 45 Points: 2,000 XP
  • 50 Points: Ballin' is a Habit pack
  • 55 Points: 2,000 XP
  • 60 Points: 92 OVR Mural Grady Sizemore
  • 65 Points: MLB The Show 26 pack
  • 70 Points: 2,000 XP
  • 75 Points: Headliners pack
  • 80 Points: 92 OVR Mural Bryan Woo
  • 85 Points: MLB The Show 26 pack (x2)
  • 90 Points: 2,000 XP
  • 95 Points: Mural Deluxe Pack
  • 100 Points: 92 OVR Mural Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

  Beyond MLB The Show 26 stubs and card packs, Mural Program also gives out a number of Mural Series players. If you're aiming to finish Collection, you'll definitely want to collect all of these free players.

  As for actual in-game value: while a card like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is certainly usable, Mural players found on the market tend to be of higher quality. Notably, Mural Deluxe Pack at 90 Points includes a tradable Mural Series player.

  How to Make Progress?

  Now, let's take a closer look at the specific tasks within Mural Program.

  Moments: 5 points each. Completing all four Moments earns you 20 points.

  Stat Missions:

  • 10 Points: Record 30 hits with any players.
  • 10 Points: Hit 10 home runs with any players.
  • 10 Points: Steal 10 bases with any players.
  • 10 Points: Pitch 9 innings (total).
  • 10 Points: Score 24 runs with any players.

  PXP Missions:

  • 10 Points: Earn 2,000 PXP in Mural Series.
  • 10 Points: Earn 4,000 PXP using Mural Series players.
  • 10 Points: Earn 6,000 PXP with any players.

  My Legacy Collection

  • 10 Points: Complete 600 K Strikeout (Silver) Icon.
  • 10 Points: Complete 250,000 PXP (Silver) Icon.

  Between PXP Missions and Stat Missions alone, you can earn a solid number of Program Points. Before you start grinding, head over to Bonus tab and claim My Legacy Collection Icons that the development team provides for free. That immediately gives you an extra 20 points, unlocking your first Mural player.

  You'll want to prioritize offline content. When working on tasks like accumulating PXP, having most of Mural players already in hand - which you can get through offline modes - allows you to slot them straight into your lineup and rack up progress with ease, ultimately completing the entire Program.

  Collection

  This Collection requires three player cards, each with a different number of Mural Series items needed:

  • 93 OVR Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: 13 Mural Series items
  • 94 OVR Roy Halladay: 21 Mural Series items
  • 95 OVR José Ramirez: 29 Mural Series items

  Here's how all current Mural Series players can be obtained:

  • Chase: 1
  • Collection: 2
  • Conquest: 1
  • Diamond Quest: 2
  • Events: 1
  • Mini Seasons: 4
  • Pack: 15
  • Program: 5

  How to Complete the Collection?

  Diamond Quest

  After finishing the base Program points, your next target is Diamond Quest. The recommended strategy here is a bunt squad - sacrifice power hitting in favor of a lineup built entirely around high speed and high bunting stats, focusing exclusively on bunts. This approach proves highly effective for conquering stadiums on higher difficulties.

  Mini Seasons

  The goal in Mini Seasons is to accumulate a total of 22,000 PXP, unlocking 92 OVR George Springer. Run your bunt squad again, select Legend difficulty against the CPU, and simply keep bunting. You should be able to reach 22,000 PXP within 6 to 7 games.

  Event

  After completing Event mode tasks, you'll earn 12 free cards. If you also finish Conquest mode and obtain 92 OVR Ralph Kiner, you'll then unlock 93 OVR Vladimir Guerrero Jr. From there, you'll need to acquire the remaining cards through packs or trading.

  How to Obtain Packs?

  Mural pack in Shop contains the remaining 15 Mural Series cards. If you've already opened Mural Deluxe Pack, you'll only need 14 more. However, be aware that this pack can also give duplicates of Mural Series cards you already own.

  There's also a new Chase Pack, which includes 95 OVR Carlos Santana - potentially the top first baseman in the game. Its current market value is around 200,000 stubs.

  If you haven't finished Multiplayer Program - or even if you have - you can continue grinding the wheel spin for a chance at 50 bundle that contains Chase Pack.

  If you're in no rush, consider waiting a bit before completing this Collection. The number of Mural Series cards available is still relatively small; once more cards from this series drop, Collection will become much easier to finish.

• MLB The Show 26 Update 9: PCI Anchor Misalignment Fixed for Precision Hitting

  MLB The Show 26 has been out for two months, and the development team shows no signs of slowing down, continuously releasing updates. They just released Update 9, which officially launched on May 14th at 4 AM Pacific Time, available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. This is a perfect opportunity to review how far MLB 26 has come since its release.

  From refining the gameplay and enhancing Diamond Dynasty, to the deep overhaul of the trading logic in Franchise mode, MLB 26 has delivered satisfying results on multiple levels this year, continuously evolving through frequent patches.

  This update focuses on fixing those frustrating bugs in various modes and also addresses other issues in the game.

  Addressing Pain Points

  PCI Anchor

  The most welcome update in Update 9 is undoubtedly the fix to the long-standing PCI Anchor display problem.

  For weeks, players have repeatedly pointed out misalignments in PCI Anchor and strike zone anchor positions, causing significant instability in accurate hit detection and home plate coverage.

  This update finally addresses this issue effectively and should bring back the signature crisp and clean hitting experience of MLB The Show series.

  

  Diamond Dynasty

  In addition to fixing PCI Anchor problem, update 9 also brings numerous adjustments to the core game modes.

  In Diamond Dynasty mode, this update allows real-time content tiles to be manipulated directly from the home tab and fixes an issue where XP wheel wouldn't display non-silver card rewards correctly.

  The particularly annoying bug that could previously result in empty cards as rewards in Mini Seasons has finally been resolved in this update. Update 9 also fixes the incorrect team logo issue in Mini Seasons and resolves the display issue of letters with accents on uniforms.

  These seemingly minor tweaks demonstrate that the development team is truly listening to player feedback.

  Franchise

  Regarding Franchise mode, the changes are more structural.

  The bug that prevented arbitration offers or contract renewals when a team's roster reached the 93-player limit has been fixed. Trade counter-proposals involving budgets have also been optimized.

  Furthermore, the update adds restrictions to prevent trades from exceeding the roster limit for pitchers or positional players.

  The development team stated that future Live Roster updates will specifically address the realism, long-term playability, and stability of Franchise mode, with more significant rating updates expected at key points such as All-Star break, Trade Deadline, and the end of the regular season.

  Updated Player Models

  This update also includes a long list of updated player models:

  • Luis Arraez
  • Nick Gonzales
  • Zach Neto
  • Luinder Avila
  • Lourdes Gurriel Jr
  • Jeremy Pena
  • Ben Brown
  • PJ Higgins
  • Joc Pederson
  • Edward Cabrera
  • Nick Kurtz
  • Ted Radcliffe
  • Ryan Campos
  • Joel Kuhnel
  • Agustin Ramirez
  • Matt Chapman
  • Joe LaSorsa
  • Rob Refsnyder
  • Patrick Corbin
  • James McCann
  • Austin Slater
  • Aaron Civale
  • Luis Medina
  • Ty Southisene
  • Kerry Carpenter
  • Gage Miller
  • Mitch Spence
  • Nick Castellanos
  • Carmen Mlodzinski
  • Carson Spiers
  • Travis d'Arnaud
  • PJ Morlando
  • Will Taylor
  • Chris Devenski
  • Andres Munoz
  • James Wood
  • Jake Fraley
  • Cedric Mullins
  • Grant Wolfram
  • Tanner Gordon
  • Noah Murdock
  • Cole Young
  • Yoendrys Gomez

  For players who spend hours studying batting styles and pitching motions, these visual refinements will provide a substantial improvement.

  Game Evolution Retrospective

  Diamond Dynasty

  Diamond Dynasty remains the soul of MLB 26, and this year the mode has received one of its most significant upgrades to date.

  World Baseball Classic has been fully integrated into Diamond Dynasty, including WBC-exclusive stadiums such as Tokyo Dome and Hiram Bithorn Stadium. Players can challenge top teams from around the world with their custom lineups and earn WBC-themed cards.

  The revamped Parallel XP is also a highlight this year, offering unprecedented freedom in player development. It also introduces Red Diamond rarity level, containing top-tier player cards that surpass traditional diamond levels, enough to change the course of a game.

  The competitive side of Diamond Dynasty has also been simplified. The development team focuses the spotlight entirely on the Legend bracket. This means fewer divisions but a higher concentration of players, creating a more competitive environment.

  Simultaneously, the prize pool has been increased across the board to match the higher level of competition. Legend bracket champion now receives 5,000 MLB 26 stubs plus an exclusive card pack. Celebration Series also returns with a more packed schedule and richer rewards.

  

  Franchise

  Franchise mode has arguably undergone the most dramatic changes in MLB 26. The all-new Trade Hub has become a one-stop platform for all lineup management activities, equipped with a completely rebuilt trading logic system. For the first time, you can complete a 4-for-4 trade. This adds a new dimension of complexity to lineup building.

  Furthermore, speed players will no longer be automatically placed in the first batting lineup, as the system now optimizes your batting lineup by taking into account the second position and various dynamic factors.

  Player degradation and progression mechanics have also been refined to simulate real-world team decision-making logic, making long-term roster planning more realistic and believable than ever before.

  Whether you want to meticulously manage every playoff decision and trade negotiation, or prefer a streamlined approach to quickly progress through multiple seasons, Franchise Mode can adapt to your playstyle.

  Combined with this Update 9, these changes are sure to bring players the long-awaited depth and realism.

  The various bug fixes in Update 9, especially the improvements to PCI Anchor and Franchise trading logic, demonstrate the development team's dedication to refining the player experience. Go live and experience it now!