While MLB The Show 27, as of this writing, is roughly eight months away, the game is very much in development. So before we get lost in other things, here is my wish list for MLB The Show 27, ranging from simple gameplay solutions to what’s in the game modes that make up the title.

Gameplay improvements

Look, out of all the things in MLB The Show 26, the gameplay is far from the problem from this standpoint. Server stability, even though it’s been better as the year has gone on, should be a paramount focus. Additionally, a clean UI that doesn’t have the styling junk & bloat that the 26 version does also needs to be implemented.

However, gameplay is not perfect.

Nearly two months into MLB The Show 26’s lifecycle, the developers made changes en masse. One of the more notable ones was the change of the strike zone. Now, it didn’t actually change anything, as all the team over at San Diego Studios did was shrink the visual on the screen — but not the in-game dimensions.

Meaning, balls that were called balls beforehand would still be called out of the strike zone afterwards, and so on. It was simply a visual change to A) stop those pitches that were nearly 50% in the zone & still called a ball and B) put it in line with where the real MLB strike zone is today.

Still, there are annoying quirks that happen far too often. Like, for example, this: a pitch called as a ball even though it’s completely in the strike zone. Why? Check swings will often trigger the ball-strike logic to break.

Additionally, shrinkage is still very much in the game. As someone who consistently makes World Series in Diamond Dynasty when active on the game, shrinkage is just something that is lived with. But realistically, it’s still a crutch for pitching.

Diamond Dynasty tweaks

I’ve already noted the menus & servers, both of which have been among the most problematic parts of Diamond Dynasty. After all, you can’t play it if you can’t connect to Sony’s servers.

But aside from that, there are things that I would do to help enhance the experience:

• Make Conquest/Mini Seasons-locked cards sellable: I know why this is done. Sony wants players to experience the entire game mode. But I do think a good way to marry both concerns for the multiplayer-only and single-player-only crowds is to make them sellable. Personally, I have no time to grind Mini Seasons, so it would help.
• Bring back Team Affinity: While MLB The Show 23 & 24 had weird TA setups because of seasons, the ’21 version was exactly how it should be done. Again, I know why this was done: to increase the pool of cards for packs. But there should be a true bi-monthly way to get good cards & packs. It made grinding single-player modes more valuable.
• Decide on Captains: Aside from the first two to three weeks, Captains — aside from RP/CP ones — were unusable in Diamond Dynasty. That’s because all 60 released in the lone TA card paths were 88 OVR. It really does feel like Sony has no purpose for the concept now that Sets are gone. My recommendation: refine it and allow cards not in the lineup but on the bench to be activated.

Lastly, addressing the shrinkage problem would go a long way towards the switch-hitter meta problem. I personally don’t run an all-switch-hitter team for the simple reason that it’s boring. But I know why it’s done — and Sony does, too.

Significantly more refinements in RTTS

In July, Konami released eBaseball Pro Spirit 2026. Now, I understand that comparing the two games is like comparing apples to oranges: the two are not alike whatsoever. However, one thing that I noticed in that game irked me as an avid player in The Show.

For those unaware, eBaseball Pro Spirit has a dedicated career mode called Star Player. It’s simple & linear, one where players can improve their chosen or created individual just by playing well. But one thing that I’ve wanted in Road to the Show for years was in Star Player: adaptability with respect to career entry.

When creating a custom player in Star Player, one can choose either to be fresh out of high school or come out of college. College players have better attributes from the onset, while high school players start from the very bottom.

I noted in my review of MLB The Show 26 that coming out of college, aside from the novelty of doing it, is pointless from a “grind 99” standpoint. Now, from an experience standpoint, that is a different story. But given that more & more players move from college to the Majors quickly — think less than a year for some of the top picks — just add a larger baseline for attributes.

Aside from that, other QOL changes that I would like include an actual option to add secondary positions and be able to play at one on a somewhat semi-regular basis. Whether this is triggered by a manager conversation or whatever, that is not the point. The point is to make it doable.

Also, maybe allow us to do something with money in Road to the Show, whether it be to get equipment or anything else.

Make Franchise more approachable

Compared to Out of the Park Baseball, MLB The Show’s franchise mode is bare-bones. A limited MLB Draft in terms of rounds and scouting, nearly a quarter of a club’s team on an Untouchable list, and a still-perplexing trade logic system.

I think you get my point.

What about graphics?

I’m not going to gripe about it at this point.

Graphical overhauls, and more specifically, full-blown engines take years to develop. If it’s not in the works now, don’t expect it for 2027.

Now, are the graphics dated in MLB The Show? Kind of. There hasn’t been a true overhaul in that department in about a decade.

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