We’re at the MLB All-Star break, and MLB The Show 22 is taking advantage of the hype to make some big changes to the game. Today we received one of the most turbulent roster updates I remember seeing, along with new moments and a chance for people to play the game for free.
Roster Update
Todays roster attribute update was extremely volatile. Nearly every top tier Live Series player saw a downgrade. Mike Trout, the former best rated player in the game, went down 3 OVR points. Guardians 3B Jose Ramirez, who is having the best year of his career so far, also dropped 3 OVR. Aaron Judge, who leads MLB with 30 HRs, dropped 2 OVR. Other top players like Paul Goldschmidt, Mookie Betts, Josh Hader, Yordan Alvarez, Byron Buxton, and Ronald Acuna Jr also saw significant drops in their OVR rating.
It is interesting to note that these, as well as several other top rated players that got downgraded, were all selected to next week’s All-Star game. With the midsummer classic on its way, MLB The Show always has a big program full of All-Star related content. Who could forget last year’s Team Affinity program that brought us some of the most overpowered cards in Diamond Dynasty history.
This leads me to believe that these downgrades are a sign that these players will be receiving other cards in the upcoming All-Star program that will be higher rated. It seems like SDS wants players to move on to the All-Star content that is coming up, and move on from their Live Series cards.
Now, not every All-Star player received a downgrade. Shohei Ohtani, who is now the highest rated Live Series player at 94 OVR, did not go down this week. However, Ohtani also did not go up in OVR this week either, even though he had one of the most dominant two week stretches in MLB history as both a hitter and pitcher.
If this is true, it is very disappointing to see SDS do this. Live Series player ratings are supposed to be based on how the players are actually performing in real life. They are not supposed to be based on what other content SDS has in the pipeline. The ratings of players in the game should not be changed in order to manipulate players into engaging with new content. The new content alone should be enough to make players want to play it. This is another example of how SDS has taken steps towards the EA and 2k way of handling their card collecting mode.
With all that behind us, this wasn’t a bad roster update for all players. Five new players made the jump to the diamond rating. These players are:
- Cardinals CP Ryan Helsley
- Braves SP Max Fried
- Marlins SP Sandy Alcantara (finally!)
- Cubs SS Nico Hoerner
- Dodgers C Will Smith
Free Trial
If you haven’t tried MLB The Show 22 yet and are still wondering if it is worth playing, you now have the chance to find out for yourself. PlayStation Plus Premium, Xbox Live Gold, and Nintendo Switch Online members now have a chance to play MLB The Show 22 for free. However, not all of these trials are created equal.
Subscribers to the new PlayStation Plus Premium service can play a 4-hour trial of MLB The Show 22. This seems impressive until you see what the other consoles get. Nintendo Switch Online members can play MLB The Show 22 completely free until July 21. It is odd to see SDS, a PlayStation owned studio, giving better trial offerings to PlayStation’s competitors. However, this is a great chance for SDS to get new players into the game before the All-Star content arrives in Diamond Dynasty, and a great chance for consumers to try the game before purchasing.
Topps Now Moments
There are new cards in the July Monthly Awards Program. These cards can be earned through moments and collections found in the program. The three 92 OVR cards that can be earned through moments are:
- Tigers SP Garrett Hill
- Nationals SP Josiah Gray
- Red Sox 3B Jeter Downs
Collecting these three cards along with the five cards from last week earns the player 94 OVR Topps Now Guardians RF Nolan Jones.
New Packs
The Show Shop added two new packs today. The new Chase Pack Set 3 will have players chasing the new best pitcher in the entire game. 99 OVR Milestone Nolan Ryan is sure to give every hitter nightmares,. The stats on this card immediately makes it the undisputed best SP card in Diamond Dynasty.
The other new pack also has players chasing a Hall of Fame starting pitcher. The 31st Headliner is 97 OVR Awards John Smoltz. While nowhere near as good as Ryan, this card will be a serviceable starting arm for most player’s rotations.
What are your thought on this roster update? Are you excited for the upcoming All-Star content?