Baserunning Survival Guide: Controls, Tips & Tricks

MLB The Show 21 offers a variety of game modes, but you need to master the baserunning controls to take your game to the next level.

Here are our top baserunning tips and tricks for MLB The Show 21, controls, and more on how to slide and steal bases.

Latest - Roster Update on the way

MLB The Show 21 has stuck to a biweekly roster update schedule, and the next one is planned for Friday, May 28, 2021.

With this update having the potential to lift certain cards into Diamond status, we took a look ahead of the release to see which players are most likely to see a ratings increase.

The roster update will go live at Noon PT (2pm CT/3pm ET) along with Season 2 of Team Affinity.

Baserunning Tips and Tricks

Baserunning is exactly what it sounds like, as it'll handle how your player (or players) make the dash from base to base after a hit in hopes of scoring a run.

As you're adjusting to baserunning controls, you definitely want to stick with the default controls at first and keep things as much to Auto and Assist as you can in the settings.

Once you've started to nail down more of the controls, you can adjust these and start taking on more of that burden yourself, but trust the AI to handle some of those calls when you're settling in.

Always keep an eye on other bases and be sure other runners are also advancing, because you don't want to accidentally advance a runner to an occupied base.

There can't be two runners on a single base, so if you do that then one will be immediately tagged out by the other team.

If you're struggling to just get on base, check out our batting and hitting guide to help improve that aspect of your game first.

Default Baserunning Controls

When you start playing MLB The Show 21, the following control scheme will be used as for the default baserunning controls, and work almost identically for other consoles.

The control choice you'll be making the most in games is to either advance or return all runners using LB / L1 or RB / R1.

You can use the left stick to select a specific runner and return or advance them on their own, or can use the buttons corresponding to their base in order to move them.

You can also view our complete controls guide for a more general overview of things.

How to steal bases in MLB The Show 21

Stealing bases in MLB The Show 21 can make a huge difference in how many runs you end up scoring, but it's one of the harder nuances in the game to master.

Keep an eye on the Speed and Steal stats that your player has before making the decision to risk it and steal a base, because low stats can make even a well-executed attempt fail and cost you an out.

To start, you want to hold RT / R2 once the pitcher looks over at you and is about to prepare the pitch, then tap (do not hold and release) LT / L2 to preload the steal itself.

After doing that, tap LB / L1 to lead off your runner for the steal, and only release RT / R2 after the pitch itself has been thrown to get your runner to start their full steal attempt.

Nailing this timing and sequence is going to take time, and if you're in a critical situation it may be more beneficial to not risk that out until you feel more ready, but stealing bases is something you definitely want to aim to improve over time.

Much of stealing bases can also be helped by improving your pitching game and understanding how pitchers often operate, which our pitching guide can help with.

Baserunning Controls & Camera in RTTS or when Player Locked

If you're playing in Road to the Show, or in a player locked moment in Diamond Dynasty, the baserunning controls can be a bit different.

Your overall goals will be the same, but you'll instead use either the left stick or a combination of LT / L2 and a button press to advance or return between bases.

You may also notice that your view changes significantly when on base in Road to the Show or player locked, and because of that it's a good idea to use the various camera controls (LT/L2, Right Stick) to adjust your view.

You'll also notice you can use LB / L1 or RB / R1 to reduce or extend your lead to the next base, which will be key in stealing bases.

You can follow the same general rules of base stealing as far as watching the pitcher closely and being careful about when to steal, but the mechanics will be a bit different and camera controls can help you get a better view of the field and other runners.

If you want to improve your fielding as a position player in Road to the Show, check out our fielding survival guide for more help.

How to slide in MLB The Show 21

Whether it's to steal a base, find your way home, or snag that first base, sliding is one of the more challenging parts of MLB The Show 21.

The following controls show you the various nuances of how you can choose to slide during a game.

Like many of the controls in MLB The Show 21, it'll take some practice to get your slides down so you have to think less about them.

The controls also vary a bit when in RTTS or player locked, which is also noted above.

Try to always have an idea of where the ball is located in the field of play, and as such where it is likely to be coming from, to help determine which way to slide gives you the best chance of avoiding an out.

How to change Baserunning settings in MLB The Show 21

There are a few settings you can alter for baserunning in MLB The Show 21, and each of them can be found in the gameplay options from the main menu in or out of a game.

Hit LB/RB / L1/R1 until you're at the Batting & Baserunning section, and from there hit LT/RT / L2/R2 to get to the Advanced options.

You'll usually want to leave things on Default and Assist or Auto, but as you become more comfortable with the controls or see what is or isn't working for you, make adjustments so MLB The Show 21 fits the way you play best.

Classic Baserunning Controls with Leading Off and Stealing

While most players will choose to use the Default Baserunning Controls in MLB The Show 21, there is a Classic Baserunning system that can be chosen in settings.

The above controls will show you how general baserunning is changed, largely with a directional pad and button combination, but the below controls show the difference for leading off and stealing.

These may take longer to get used to, so most players stick to Default Baserunning, but if you're struggling you can try out Classic Baserunning to see if things fit better for the way you play.

If you're planning to carry any of these skills into Franchise Mode, our survival guide will help you get started off on the right foot to have years of in-game success.