I'm not sure how, but we made it to the 2026 Postseason already. Major League Baseball's grind to the World Series begins in earnest today, and MLB The Show 26 gets the party started with a Retro Wild Card Program.
Retro Wild Card Program Breakdown
The Retro Wild Card Program is a very easy, breezy program that drops some pretty nice 99 OVR cards before the 2026 Postseason Program content begins filing out.
You'll need to knock out a handful of Moments, then rack up some PXP with playoff teams and you'll complete the program.
Anytime a 99 OVR Aaron Bummer is available, he immediately becomes a top-flight bullpen arm. Bummer has a janky motion from the left side, with outstanding attributes for a high-leverage reliever, and he also boasts a nearly ideal pitch mix.
My biggest gripe with this Bummer is the lack of changeup to use against right-handed hitters. However, Bummer is almost always effective no matter what thanks to the nasty sweeper/sinker/cutter combination.
The final reward in the program is 99 OVR Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton is everything you want him to be, with nearly maxed out Power against both sides and plenty good Contact and Clutch. This Stanton even comes with passable enough Fielding and Speed that you can park him in a corner outfield spot and probably not regret it.
If you haven't used a Stanton card before, he mashes everything and has a great swing. He was one of my first true DD-favorites when I began playing years ago, though you'll need to be mindful of the extra-tall strike zone that gets pinged a lot more with ABS in the game now.
Headliners 27 Featuring Cliff Lee
As far as finesse pitchers go, Cliff Lee was always one of my favorite pitchers to watch growing up. The translation to Diamond Dynasty isn't always easy for finesse guys, but with ABS this year - I've never liked my chances online with Cliff Lee more.
Anytime there's a curveball in lieu of a slider, I cringe enough to hesitate using those pitchers. Lee's elite Control makes him a very interesting starter, and will challenge your ability to change speeds and sequence in the best way.
Multiplayer 8 Program Breakdown
The next phase of the Multiplayer Program also launched today. Pretty standard fare with the reward path full of the usual mix of packs, items, and 99 OVR players.
Rollie Fingers gets his 99 OVR in Awards form, taking his place amongst the best bullpen options in Diamond Dynasty.
Elite attributes with a disgusting pitch mix, Rollie Fingers almost always seems to end up in my bullpen at the end of the year, and that is always perfectly fine with me.
Bernie Williams gets the honor of final player reward in the newest Multiplayer Program. Bernie is a switch-hitting CF with elite Contact and Clutch attributes accompanied by solid Vision and Power.
Fielding and Speed won't excite anyone on this card, but Williams isn't unplayable in the field and has a great swing wrapped up in the switch-hitting ability.
If nothing else, between the reward path player items and the World Series Rewind pack, the Multiplayer Program offers up a chance to make up ground on collections.
Ranked Seasons 8 World Series Reward Breakdown
Along with the new Multiplayer Program, the Ranked Seasons rewards have been refreshed. This month, Awards Lou Boudreau and Milestone Vladimir Guerrero sit atop the Ranked ladder and filling the World Series Choice Pack.
If you reach World Series this month, you'll get to choose between an uber-elite defensive shortstop that also possesses uber-elite Contact and Clutch attributes. Boudreau features 125 attributes across the Contact spectrum, with pretty decent Power against both sides for an elite contact/defense shortstop.
The other option this Ranked season is Milestone Vlad Sr. This variant celebrates a 30/30 season for Vlad, so it's searching for balance across every facet of the card. You're probably getting a little extra Speed and Stealing here and sacrificing some Power, but this is still a well-rounded Vlad card.
I find myself more inclined to take Lou here, simply because I've never used his cards. 125 Contact, Clutch, and Vision with decent Power and essentially 99-everything defensively sounds like a decent enough time.
Francisco Lindor Milestone Program
Sneaking into Diamond Dynasty yesterday, Francisco Lindor gets a Milestone program to celebrate his 300th career home run.
Any free 99 OVR Francisco Lindor card is always fine by me, and this card does enough to earn a spot on my squad. Lindor isn't just one of the best players of his generation, he's been a top-end Diamond Dynasty option for years.
Switch-hitting, 100+ everything offensively, with 99 Fielding, 83 Speed/75 Stealing works on just about any card. Having these attributes on an elite shortstop is sweet. This is the type of card that could easily be turned into an expensive Chase card or collection.
SDS continuing the trend of free Milestone cards is a great way to get the best versions of current day players, without diluting the marketplace completely with switch-hitters.
There's your big content drop for Tuesday, September 29! What are you getting started on first? Let us know in the comments.
