Situational Awareness – Hidden Ratings in Action
Every player in MLB The Show 25 has hidden situational modifiers that activate depending on the game state. These are not traditional quirks — they’re subtle internal boosts tied to MLB The Show 25 Stubs clutch performance, stamina, and defensive awareness.
For example:
Pitchers perform better in high-leverage innings if they have a strong Clutch rating.
Infielders are slightly faster to react when a runner is on third with less than two outs.
Catchers with high Fielding IQ call smarter pitch selections when using the “Pitcher-Catcher Dynamic” feature in offline modes.
You won’t see these ratings displayed openly, but you’ll feel their effects in tight moments.
Pro Tip: Pay attention to your player archetypes in Road to the Show. Power and Contact archetypes have hidden stamina and timing modifiers that influence consistency throughout a series.
Realistic Pitch Break and Fatigue Model
Pitch break and fatigue have been fine-tuned for MLB The Show 25, creating more authentic pitching experiences. Instead of generic stamina loss, pitchers now experience realistic degradation in velocity and movement depending on workload and stress level.
Repeatedly throwing breaking balls accelerates arm fatigue.
Long innings cause velocity dips faster than short ones.
Pitch confidence and stamina interact — tired pitchers miss their targets more frequently and lose control of movement-heavy pitches.
Pro Tip: Manage bullpen usage carefully in Franchise Mode. Overusing relievers in back-to-back games drastically reduces their effectiveness in future outings.
Hitter’s Vision and Timing Sensitivity
While MLB The Show 25 has always emphasized timing, this year introduces a deeper sensitivity system tied to Vision and Contact ratings. These attributes now determine not only the size of your PCI (Plate Coverage Indicator) but also how forgiving the timing window is.
A high-Vision hitter like Freddie Freeman can make solid contact even on buy MLB The Show 25 Stubs slightly mistimed swings, while low-Vision sluggers like Joey Gallo require perfect timing to avoid pop-ups.
Pro Tip: Don’t swing for the fences every time. Use contact swings in two-strike counts to take advantage of the new timing forgiveness system.