MLB 21 The Show Content is Still Hot
There has been plenty of content added to MLB The Show 21 and its Diamond Dynasty mode since the Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros in game six of the World Series on Nov. 2. It would only make sense that content drops slow down as the MLB finale becomes further and further into the past, right? Wrong! San Diego Studios is making sure players won’t be swayed away by new games that have recently dropped, like Call of Duty: Vanguard, NHL 22, and Far Cry 6.
Forever Daily Moments
At the start of each month, a Daily Moments program has been dropped with a quick moment being released on each day that counts for either one or two program stars. Usually, each daily moment is available to play for 72 hours before disappearing for good. For November, SDS came up with a Forever Daily Moments program, meaning that you now have unlimited time to play each moment. This way, you will be able to rise through the program rewards at your own pace, rather than feel the need to log in and play every day at the same time. The Forever program maxes out at 37 program stars and includes a new 99 Milestone Reggie Jackson that celebrates his 563 career home runs. The right fielder has left field eligibility and hits for 99 CON/123 POW vs. righties and 93 CON/118 POW vs. lefties. The Forever program also includes the six players that were featured in the months prior. For example, if you didn’t play enough dailies in August and missed out on the 98 Signature Andrew McCutchen, he is now available for you, and you can get him whenever you want. Finally, there are two new evolution cards in the Forever program. Through moments and missions, you can unlock 99 Signature Robin Yount and 99 Signature Mike Scott. They will be able to be collected in the 9th Inning program which drops Nov. 12.
World Series and Postseason Programs
There haven’t been any Topps Now moments released since the end of the regular season, but SDS dropped separate programs in MLB The Show 21 for each of the postseason rounds. Under Player Programs, you will see all four programs. Each one includes at least one 99 overall 2021 postseason player with attributes reflecting his performance from that playoff series. The World Series program was released on Nov. 5, and the World Series MVP, Jorge Soler, is the final card you can unlock at 150 program stars. The programs include several moments, missions, and a unique conquest map. The Soler card absolutely rakes, by the way, thanks to his maxed-out power against righties and lefties.
You can now collect a new wave of Postseason players in the Legends & Flashbacks section. The collection previously ended at 30 players for the Kershaw voucher, but now goes up to 50. At 40 players, a 99 2017 George Springer will be unlocked, and at 50, a 99 2020 Corey Seager. Both were fan favorites from the recent years, and Seager was on my God Squad last year. It’s hard to find a lefty-swinging shortstop that can hit for power. He also has 85 fielding, meaning he can get up to 90 as a superfractor, and it’s funny because if it were a 2021 Postseason Corey Seager, he would probably have 60 fielding.
Milestone Hurlers Event
Ending Nov. 16 at 11:00 a.m. PT is the Milestone Hurlers event. You can build a team of Milestone pitchers, Topps Now hitters, or common players, and the max team overall of 99 means that you can use any player that falls under that category because you won’t have to worry about exceeding the threshold. Games are three innings long and are played on Hall of Fame difficulty. The featured reward for the event is a 99 starting pitcher Dennis Eckersley. The Milestone card celebrates his May 30, 1977, no hitter versus the Angels.
Roster Update
MLB The Show 21 came out with one final roster update for the year on Nov. 5. Most attribute changes were made to players participating in the postseason, and just about every change was an upgrade. Seven players jumped up to diamonds, including +8 and +7 leaps from Kike Hernandez and Eddie Rosario, respectively. I kind of hate this idea. Anyone playing Battle Royale is now going to suffer from some budget beasts no longer being available in silver and gold rounds. It’s not like these live series cards are being used in ranked seasons anymore, so I see this as a little bit pointless. I understand rewarding players for great postseason performances, but isn’t that what the postseason programs are for?
Battle Royale
A new Battle Royale program released on Nov. 9 and features two new players. George Foster has entered the chat with a 99 Milestone card for his 52-homer season in 1977. He is available at 90 program stars, while a 99 Milestone Corey Kluber is the new flawless reward, but he can also be redeemed in the choice pack given to you for finishing the program. This card is unfair. The was a low-90s Kluber that came out earlier in the year and it was gross because of his pitch mix. Any card with a sinker, cutter, and slurve is going to cause issues for opposing hitters. I’m so glad this card did not come out sooner, because it would have given me flashbacks to last year’s game when Kluber seemingly took the mound every game for my ooponents in ranked seasons.
Upcoming Releases
The 9th Inning program drops tomorrow, Nov. 12, and there is going to be a big livestream by SDS at 11:30 a.m. PT for it. A 99 1970 MVP Johnny Bench has already been announced as one of the three program bosses, with the other two being announced during the stream tomorrow. We just got a clue via Twitter that boss #2 is a pitcher. Is this the program we finally get Ken Griffey Jr.? Or Babe Ruth? Or a juiced Mike Trout? They need to stop releasing these cards so late in the year. This is now a few years running where it feels like they have waited just a tad too long before releasing some of these beasts. I want to be able to use a nasty Griffey card in July, for once.
On Nov. 19, MLB The Show 21 will drop the first ever Team Affinity Season Five. I covered Season Four already, and you can expect a Season Five article highlighting the best cards to go after first. Apparently, every card will be a 99 overall, but us players have zero other clues so far on what type of cards they are going to be. Will they be 2021 Finest cards? More legends and flashbacks? Hopefully these programs are easy to complete, and I would assume they are going to take 150 program stars to complete.
8th Inning Program Ends Nov. 12
MLB The Show 21’s 8th Inning program will end tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. PT. If you’re like me and haven’t finished the Showdown, Bat conquest, or Jack-o-lantern conquest, get it done! I will be grinding them out tonight while knocking out missions for the World Series program. I still have to finish the Ken Griffey Sr., Whit Merrifield, Yadier Molina, and Wade Davis programs, as well. Completing all seven things will earn me 200,000 XP, putting me around 400,000 total for the program, which will secure myself the boss pack earned at 350,000. I think I am going to pick the Milestone Wille Mays. I tend to lean with the best hitter in the pack each time, even if he is going to be a bench bat for me. Still, he will be a very, very good bench piece considering he is a five-tool player. The 99 Chris Sale is intriguing because he has a sinker, and Ernie Banks has no value now that the postseason Seager has been released. Take advantage of the final 20 hours or so of double XP in games and moments so that you can reach that boss pack!
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