Inning XP Programs and the Monthly Spotlight programs are two of the biggest content drops each month. Getting both on the same day always brings a ton of new cards into the meta, with an intentioal upshift in terms of overall card power level.
There's also new packs in the shop, including the newest Chase card: Al Leiter.
A full breakdown of everything listed above, and more, can be found below.
4th Inning XP Program Breakdown for MLB The Show 26
The 4th Inning XP Program delivers a new path to grind for the month of June.
Play anywhere in MLB The Show 26 to earn XP in the 4th Inning XP path, and unlock a ton of packs, Stubs, and more. As has been the norm so far this year, there are two card rewards nestled in the Inning path itself outside of the Boss choice pack.
At 57,500 XP you'll unlock 95 OVR All-Star catcher Mike Piazza.
Keeping in mind that each Inning program is intended to increase the floor of the meta's power level, Piazza gives players a chance to add a Red Diamond catcher to their squad if they're looking to keep up with said meta. A beneficiary of an improved swing a few years ago, Piazza has performed very well for me the last couple of years that I've used him. Defense matters so much now that I would hesitate to put him behind the plate if I had better defensive options that could hit even a little. That's not to say this is a bad card because he's a top-5 catcher in the game. It just highlights how much strategy there really is now, as you can take the "analytical" approach and go completedly based off overalls and Meta rankings to build a true "God Squad." Or, you can experiement with a theme team and integrate non-theme eligible cards around the tier boost requirements. Piazza will fit any build that wants him.
Later on in the path at 220,000 XP you'll unlock 96 OVR All-Star Steve Carlton.
This spot in the path is where SDS has placed the "semi-Boss" cards that they deemed were just a tad below the other cards that would have shared a Boss pack with them.
Carlton is still a fairly new legend (added last year in 2025) which means he hasn't been overused and overexposed.
This card doesn't have the type of pitch mix I typically prefer, but it's not far off. The primary Slider with 99 Break is Carlton's trademark, and he plays off of that with a 4-Seamer that can touch 100 MPH. Curveballs are better than they've ever been in MLB The Show 26, so the incredibly slow curveball that Carlton throws at 77 MPH with 99 Break gives you a fun toy to mix with the changeup and Slider. There's not a ton of depth in the changeup, but it should still play well online. He's the new #6
I've enjoyed using Carlton cards as they've come, so I'll be excited to try the first Red Diamond version of him we've ever seen.
The Boss Choice Pack itself is at 400,000 XP at the very end of the program path.
I ended up taking a bit of a break last Inning, at least in terms of completing every morsel of content as it released. I barely earned the last Boss pack at the buzzer and missed out on some Stubs since I didn't unlock and sell fast enough, but still got about 80k Stubs for my Francisco Lindor. I'm standing pat on Stubs for next week's roster update, and neither of last inning's bosses cracked my squad at the moment. I was hoping for a new starting pitcher to pick this inning, and SDS answered the call.
New #4 Meta Overall Starting Pitcher
97 OVR All-Star Roger Clemens will undoubtedly be my pick in this program. I'm happy with my Braves theme team featuring a couple of non-Braves friends, but starting pitching is my biggest need. I love Clemens, and getting a Houston Astros version is fitting as we've seen pretty much every other era of his career well represented.
This is just a great starting pitcher from an attribute standpoint. Despite representing Clemens' age 42 season, this card features an Outlier 4-Seamer meaning you'll be throwing 100+ MPH lightning bolts all game. That's contained within a framework that's mostly exceptional core attributes, especially the 120 Clutch that will make Clemens nearly unhittable if you're locating with runners in scoring position. Most of us would probably prefer a Cutter over a rarely used Curveball that's more of a show-me pitch. Beyond that, the pitch mix is great. If you want another detraction to weigh in your considerations, Clemens has hardly any Quirks which means there's not really any extra oomph under the hood of this old muscle car.
Alongside Clemens in the Boss Choice Pack is someone that would love to face Clemens. Boston Red Sox era Rafael Devers gets a Milestone card celebrating his 54 doubles during the 2019 season. Devers mashes righties, hits lefties fine, has a huge Clutch rating at 113, with Diamond defense at third base. This is quite the fascinating Devers card as it features elite defense, just some time after he was traded to the Giants for not being as defensively gifted as the Red Sox claimed they wanted. Or something.
There's no positional flexibility here, so he's either your third baseman or DH. With diamond fielding, I'd imagine he wins out against most others in terms of "earning" the starting nod.
Cornerstone Paul O'Neill
A new Inning program brings a new Cornerstone player. Paul O'Neill was a major part of the New York Yankees' 90's dynasty, and certainly earned the chance to represent the Bronx Bombers as a Cornerstone player.
This is a decent little card! Cornerstone players probably won't sniff the upper tiers of Meta Overall, but not every card can. This is a great entry level Red Diamond that you can earn with very little effort. Even if the card isn't exciting enough for you to use, I still recommend knocking out the program to earn this card so you're prepared for the next Legends and Flashbacks collection update.
You'll almost certainly need every Cornerstone card for the next voucher.
Uncle Al Leiter is the latest Chase player, just in time for Weekend Classic.
Perhaps one of the most feared and revered starting pitchers in the most competitive depths of Diamond Dynasty play, Signature Series Al Leiter shook the market by reaching 400,000+ Stubs before settling around 320,000 as Friday evening appeared. This version of Leiter is very, very comparable in terms of core attributes to the 99 OVR Retro Finest version (calculating for legacy stats) so this feels like a great example of how the Red Diamond tier is meant to showcase the difference between lower-tier Blue diamonds, while Leiter retains his elite status with the combination of meta relevant attributes.
This is going to be a very expensive card for a while, so Leiter superfans will have to fight with leaderboard grinders for one of the best starting pitchers that is also now one of the rarest.
Weekend Classic Breakdown
The fitting release of Leiter before the Weekend Classic didn't just shake up the market, but it almost certainly shook up the meta. Leiter will be highly sought after in the upper tiers of Weekend Classic, where players are duking it out for elite rewards over the weekend.
Weekend Classic is solo 1v1 Ranked only, with your Co-Op shenanigans not factoring into your division or placement.
Essentially, you get graded on the first 6 games you play over the Weekend Classic period. The better your results, the better the rewards. The higher the divisional tier, the better the rewards and so on.
A big attraction is the exclusive Weekend Classic Choice Pack players. These cards are only available in this Choice Pack, and it's only earnable by placing in a division that rewards them.
Anyone that earns the packs will be able to choose from Pete Crow-Armstrong or Chone Figgins. I love this duo in the same pack, as you're getting a baseline of elite speed and defense no matter who you choose. Do you want more power and a stronger arm? Then PCA is the clear choice. Do you want more positional flexibility and contact skills? Figgins is your guy.
I'm almost certainly going to pick up this Figgins at some point. Whether I grind the Weekend Classic or not, grabbing this Figgins will round out my bench perfectly. Figgins is one of my favorite non-Braves players from childhood, so I've been looking forward to adding a sweet version of him to my team this year. I've loved every PCA card I've used, but I used him a ton last year so I'll happily take the new legend here.
May Spotlight Program Drop 5 Program Breakdown
The final Spotlight drop is an expanded version of the weekly drops, featuring extra Spotlight cards at the end representing the rest of the top performing players from May.
You sort of have two beginning paths to choose from. There's an Extreme Moment in the program that's worth 75 stars, which instantly grants you more than 50% of the way towards unlocking Cody Bellinger. Bellinger is the "featured Spotlight" card for Drop 5 with the additional mission at the end (500 stars) simply a bonus mission tied to Bellinger, earning you an additional May Spotlight Player Pack if you rack up 500 PXP with Spotlight Bellinger.
As far as Extreme Moments go, this one is a bit on the tamer side. The difficulty is Veteran, so slower pitch speeds and easy mashing opportunities. However, you'll need to score 13 runs before making 3 outs in order to complete the moment. The ingredients make it easy swinging, but it's more of a challenge to stay focused long enough to score the runs needed than the gameplay itself. Treat this like the Hall of Fame Showdown against Jacob deGrom: take pitches, take your walks, and look for pitches you know you can drive.
Opting for this path significantly reduces the gameplay grind, as you can then snatch the 30 stars from the regular Moments and be nearly finished without loading into a standard game. There is no penalty for not taking this path, you'll just need to focus on the stat grinds a bit more. The best advice here is to usually just focus on a bigger program or goal that you still need to complete, and work towards that. Most of the stat missions are generalized by positional requirements, not card series requirements. There's a singular mission for using Spotlight and/or Topps Now cards, but you can complete this program without putting together a hodgepodge team of program cards to mindlessly bash the CPU with.
Personally, I just work through unfinished Conquest maps, Diamond Quest maps, and Mini Seasons runs in that order. The change in program design this year is the most rewarding it's ever been. I don't feel forced into doing something I don't want to do, just to unlock a card that doesn't even make my team. This has increased my overall enjoyment with the game, and I encourage you to find a similar "routine" that matches what you love most about the game.
Featured Spotlight Drop 5 Program Cards
- Cody Bellinger, LF, NYY (95 OVR)
- James Wood, RF, WSH (94 OVR)
- Braxton Ashcraft, SP, PIT (94 OVR)
- Jonathan Aranda, 1B, TB (93 OVR)
- Casey Schmitt, LF, SF (93 OVR)
- Miguel Vargas, 3B, CWS (93 OVR)
- Jacob Gonzalez, 1B, CWS (92 OVR)
- Wade Meckler, LF, LAA (92 OVR)
- Charles McAdoo, 2B, TOR (92 OVR)
- MJ Melendez, LF, NYM (92 OVR)
95 OVR Spotlight Cody Bellinger Card Review
Cody Bellinger is one of the most popular hitters each year. He has a buttery smooth swing and absolutely punishes everything he makes contact with. The core attributes quite good, with reverse platoon splits making Bellinger lethal against fellow lefties. The 112 Clutch rating effectively makes Bellinger 112 Contact/77 Power against righties with runners in scoring position. This is a perfect 4th or 5th hitter for most of my lineups, and he plays above-average defense across the outfield and at first base. Dead Red and Breaking Ball Hitter Quirks round out one of the best pure hitters in all of Diamond Dynasty.
There's no reason to avoid getting this card. The new Red Diamond art signifies the shift into the "elite" cards, and Bellinger has positional versatility on top of a glitchy swing pedigree.
How Do You Unlock Jacob Misiorowski in MLB The Show 26?
Cody Bellinger is the final Spotlight card required in the May Spotlight Lightning collection. This collection highlights the designated "Lightning Guy" of the month - typically one of the top performing players in MLB across the respective month. The monthly Spotlight programs release in weekly drops, with May featuring these five cards: Mickey Moniak, Yandy Diaz, Nick Kurtz, Colt Emerson, & Cody Bellinger.
Earn each card by completing their respective Spotlight program, then collect them in the collections tab of Diamond Dynasty.
96 OVR Spotlight Lightning Jacob Misiorowski Card Review
The Lightning player for May is fireballing righty Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers. The featured text on the card reads, "Led MLB pitchers in strikeouts (57), fWAR (2.4), and FIP (0.65) in May."
In terms fWAR, The Miz was the top player in all of baseball in May. He was the clear-cut choice for Spotlight Lightning, but does the card live up to the crazy stats?
Meta Overall pegs him as the #5 starting pitcher in all of Diamond Dynasty, so I'd say that's pretty good.
Digging in, the core attributes are great. The lower K/9 vs RHP will probably result in some longer at-bats, with the mythical foulball wizards of ancient lore being known lovers of "low K/9." I imagine we'd all love higher Control, but we're talking about a 23 year old gunslinger so I'd say 83 Control is plenty good enough for a card like this.
The Mis is also the Keeper of Two-Outliers, as he possesses the Quirk on both his primary 4-Seamer and secondary slider. This is a vicious combination, as a slider coming in at 92-95 MPH is nuts. It's worth noting that the pitch only has 76 Break. That's not terrible, but it's also not "endgame" and very relevant despite the Outlier. Having said that, the accompanying offspeed pitches round out the mix well with a sneaky-elite Circle Change. The PAR-size will be huge due to the 2% usage rate, however, 93 Break on a Circle Change that's 13-15 MPH slower than the primary pitches adds a devastating change of pace. You'll probably want to aim this as low as you can get away with, but on-paper I'd favor the Change over the Curveball with these attributes.
If you complete all the May Spotlight content, you earn this card for free. That's a top-5 starting pitcher for just playing through some programs that can easily be caught up on if you haven't stayed current. I would absolutely recommend grinding for this card and adding him to your rotation. With the Weekend Classic launching today as well, The Mis gives you a fresh arm that happens to be one of the best arms in the game. Programs are refreshingly easy to complete this year, so if you're a returning player that avoided them in the past - I would highly suggest giving them a shot to earn some great cards that have real value.
May Spotlight Drop 5 Pack Breakdown
The featured cards in the pack are:
- Byron Buxton, CF, MIN (95 OVR)
- Pete Alonso, 1B, BAL (95 OVR)
- Cade Smith, CP, CLE (95 OVR)
- Konnor Griffin, SS, PIT (94 OVR)
- Jarren Duran, LF, BOS (94 OVR)
- Davis Martin, SP, CWS (94 OVR)
- Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, NYY (93 OVR)
- Keibert Ruiz, C, WSH (93 OVR)
- JoJo Romero, RP, STL (93 OVR)
- JJ Bleday, RF, CIN (93 OVR)
May Spotlight Drop 5 Pack Card Reviews
The final Spotlight pack each month always features a ton of cards, as SDS tries to highlight all of the top performers each month in some manner. That results in the rare tier being Red Diamonds, with a very big name leading the way towards the Retro Lightning collection (detailed below).
Byron Buxton is always highly sought after, and he's leading the charge at the top-end of this week's Spotlight pack. Known as a terrific fielder, Buxton has been mashing at the plate and earns his hefty power-focused attributes. This card is pure power-hitter fantasy, with low Vision meaning he'll swing and miss a ton; but any ball you make solid contact with is going to be crushed.
Above average fielding with decent range is supported by the 99 Speed, that itself is supported by the 75 Stealing to represent all of Buxton's tools on this card...except his arm. This is a noodle compared to what you want, but this is also what current-day Buxton's metrics rate out to. It's interesting to watch the noted Diamond Dynasty Darlings age gracefully, with their in-game attributes skewing along with their careers.
This is a really good card, but only you can decide if the community luster makes the extra cost worth it. Buxton is currently at 100,000 Stubs, which is way higher than the Spotlight cards have been running. The other two 95 OVR cards (same odds) are in the 30,000-40,000 range for context. I'd say most people would benefit from spending their Stubs elsewhere, but this card is for the collectors chasing the Retro Lightning collection and few else.
I'd rather spend my Stubs on Cade Smith if I was choosing a card from this pack. Smith has extraordinary attributes and a lethal pitch mix.
There's no Outlier on the 4-Seamer, but it's going to hit 100MPH easily. Smith's splitter has 99 Break and will pair amazingly with the elite fastball velocity. A sweeper rounds out the mix, falling in the same speed-range as the splitter with decent enough break to be serviceable.
Meta Overall pegs Smith as the 6th best relief pitcher, and he should only get cheaper over time. I haven't seen a lot of Smith online, so you may get some added performance from unfamiliarity.
The final card in the rare tier belongs to Baltimore Oriole Pete Alonso.
Alonso absolutely rules in this game. His New Threads card from earlier in the year was so good I got him to Parallel 5, and he was on my Braves theme team until Spotlight Matt Olson dropped a while ago. This Spotlight card is just a flatout upgrade in every conceivable way. If you're looking for a first baseman or DH, Alonso is absolutely worth a try. We talk about Bellinger and Buxton having great swings, and I'd say that Pete Alonso should be in that same conversation.
How To Unlock Retro Lightning Fernando Tatis Jr. in MLB The Show 26
At this point, you've read about all of the Spotlight content that dropped today. The Spotlight cards that are only featured in packs (not the free cards from the program or elsewhere) all feed into an exclusive collection for a Retro Lightning card from the same month. For May 2026, that's 2021 Fernando Tatis Jr.
What Cards Do You Need to Collect to Unlock Fernando Tatis Jr. in MLB The Show 26
You'll need to collect all 15 of the following cards to unlock Tatis Jr:
- Pete Alonso, 1B, BAL (95 OVR)
- Cade Smith, CP, CLE (95 OVR)
- Byron Buxton, CF, MIN (95 OVR)
- Davis Martin, SP, CWS (94 OVR)
- Daylen Lile, LF, WSH (94 OVR)
- Aaron Ashby, RP, MIL (94 OVR)
- Colton Cowser, RF, BAL (94 OVR)
- Kyle Harrison, SP, MIL (94 OVR)
- Jarren Duran, LF, BOS (94 OVR)
- Konnor Griffin, SS, PIT (94 OVR)
- Sean Burke, SP, CWS (93 OVR)
- Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, NYY (93 OVR)
- Keibert Ruiz, C, WSH (93 OVR)
- Travis Bazzana, 2B, CLE (93 OVR)
- Tyler Glasnow, SP, LAD (93 OVR)
- Christian Walker, 1B, ARI (93 OVR)
- J.J. Bleday, RF, CIN (93 OVR)
- JoJo Romero, RP, STL (93 OVR)
Collect 10 to unlock 95 OVR Spotlight Christopher Sanchez (Philadelphia Phillies)
On the way to unlocking Retro Lightning Tatis Jr., you'll pick up this 95 OVR Christopher Sanchez at 10 cards in the same collection.
Sanchez is a classic case of dominant pitchers that don't always translate in Diamond Dynasty. He has exceptional attributes against fellow lefties, but righties hit him very well. There's elite Stamina and Clutch attributes in play, as well as very good 91 Control. Sanchez suffers from three of his pitches essentially being the same speed, meaning even pedstrian hitters can sit on the Sinker or offspeed and pounce. The attributes don't bother me as much as the pitch mix and speed differentials, but the combination seems like it'll be really difficult to get righties out with this card.
Tatis, on the other hand, is a certifiable goon's delight. A shortstop with elite overall offensive attributes (that 65 Vision really hurts Tatis on Hall of Fame difficulty and above), both 90 Speed/Stealing, with 99 Arm Strength that can play average defense at shortstop and in center field and right field. This isn't a card that interests me, so I won't be grinding or spending to add him to my squad. But anyone that collects for Tatis Jr. is getting an absolute stud that should hit plenty of extra base hits and steal as many bases as you desire.
