Hitting home runs is great, but if you want to win games you need our MLB The Show 23 pitching guide. Baseball is one of those odd games that doesn't have a clock attached to it. Instead, you have to get 27 outs to wrap up a baseball game. If you can't get them it could go on for ever!
The best way to generate outs in this year's game is to learn how to dominate as a pitcher. Be it with starters or relievers, getting comfortable with controls, pitch selection, and tempo is crucial in MLB The Show 23.
In this article we will give you all the tips and tricks you need to win the World Series!
MLB The Show 23 pitching guide
Pitchers are the most important player in any game they are in. After all, they touch the ball in every at-bat. Becoming a good pitcher in MLB The Show 23 is tricky, but with our tips you can take your game to the next level.
Your success on the mound will often depend on the quality of the player you are using, after all a better player will help you pick up strikeouts and soft contact more frequently. But as your skill level improves you will be able to lift the performance of even your worst starter.
Get your controls down
There are a lot of choices in the MLB The Show 23 controls setup when it comes to pitching, and finding the right one for you is crucial to improving your performance on the mound.
The simplest is "Classic", where you select a pitch with one button and fire it off with another tap. You control the location with the left stick but pinpoint accuracy isn't possible. "Pulse" is the next simplest, where you have to time a press with a pulsating circle to generate accuracy. "Meter" is more advanced, and the one we suggest. As the name implies you have to stop a meter at the top for power, and then on a bar for accuracy.
Both "Pinpoint" and "Pure Analog" involve tracing shapes with the right stick to generate quality pitches. These are tricky to get right and will take a lot of practice, but can lead to more accurate pitching.
We recommend using "Meter", but if you are a bit more advanced and really want to control everything then "Pure Analog" is the one for you!
Once you have decided on your controls and done a little bit of practice, it's time to take to the mound and make some outs.
Mix it up
The key thing with pitching is to keep the hitters guessing. If you fall into a pattern with your pitches, like always starting at-bats with first-pitch fastballs or only throwing sliders when you get to two strikes the opponent will have an easier time hitting your pitches.
Mixing up both pitch type and location is absolutely crucial to being a successful pitcher in MLB The Show 23. You want to keep opposing hitters feeling uneasy when you take to the mound.
The best way to do this is to throw breaking pitches (sliders, curveballs etc) that either start outside the strike zone and then come in, or vice versa. These can generate a lot of poorly timed swings with PCIs that are totally out of position.
Likewise when it comes to changes in velocity (fastballs vs change-ups) you want to use height in the strike zone to your advantage. Low change-ups followed by high fastballs can really throw off timing in a hitter.
The final piece of advice on this front is that you don't have to throw exclusively into the strike zone. Establish that you can hit the strike zone early, but then start to pitch outside it. This will entice poor swings and get you a few extra strikes.
Know your players
The ability of a pitcher is also going to play a key factor in your success on the mound. The best pitchers in MLB The Show 23 have high velocity, break, control, and stamina stats. Those with higher attributes in those four areas will be able to make more accurate pitches, beat hitters with speed or movement, and stay on the mound for longer.
They will obviously be harder to get hold of, but will give you a chance to utterly dominate on the mound. There are a few other attributes about players that you should know though.
In the real world of baseball, K/9, BB/9, H/9, & HR/9 are all rate statistics generated by play, but in MLB The Show 23 they are attributes. People often aren't sure what they mean, so we are here to explain pitcher attributes.
There is a lot of confusion and misunderstanding out there. But this is what we know the attributes do, and what they impact during play.
- K/9 - How well your pitcher can generate swings-and-misses, or convert two-strike opportunities
- BB/9 - This impacts your pitching controls. Higher BB/9 slows down your input meter and allows you to make more accurate pitches
- H/9 - Lessens the likelihood of allowing hits. Increases opponents chance of popping up, or making weak contact
- HR/9 - Makes it harder for the opponent to hit home runs
Pitchers with higher ratings in all these categories will be better during simulated games, but when you are in control you can override some of the impact of these stats by honing your own skills and mastery of the controls.