It’s that time of year again. Diamond Dynasty’s version of summer school, the Extreme Program, officially launched on July 28. DD veterans have experienced this hellish nightmare many times over at this point, while new players are staring at the requirements like J. Robert Oppenheimer staring at himself in the mirror. No matter your skill level, this will be a test of your physical and mental capacities. May your soul know peace and may your controllers have protection during the torturous hours that lay ahead of you.

It’s time for Extreme.

MLB The Show 23 Extreme Program Breakdown

Right off the rip, it’s important to talk about the rewards in this program. It’s been discussed a lot and bears repeating: all the cards except the Home Run Derby Ken Griffey Jr. card are Set 3. That means you’ll have “less” time with these cards than normal, depending on exactly how long it takes you to earn them and complete the program. Griffey being Core obviously means he’ll be usable all year, and at least to me, implies this is the best version of him we’ll see this year. It’s an interesting design choice by SDS to limit the overall usability of these cards considering they’re No-Sell and will be some of the most challenging cards to earn we’ll see this year.

The hardcore players will be tackling Extreme with reckless abandon and have these cards for as long as possible. The rest of us mere mortals will probably make slow progress throughout the year.

In addition to the card rewards, you can earn the following goodies for embarking on this journey of self-hatred:

• A total of 12,500 Stubs
• A total of 25,000 XP
• 42 total packs including 30 Show packs, 10 BIAH packs, 2023 MLB Draft Choice Pack, 2023 All-Star Game Choice Pack, 2023 Home Run Derby Choice Pack, Diamond Duos 30 Choice Pack (the newest DD release at the time of Extreme’s launch) and a No-Sell Draft, All-Star Game and Home Run Derby Choice Pack where you can choose any of those packs to open, with the card within being No-Sell and a Diamond Equipment Choice Pack
• Various non-player items like banners, profile pictures and more

An interesting note about the Coach banner and profile picture. Last year, SDS released a Ken Griffey Jr. program for Griffey week that featured a free 99 overall Ken Griffey Jr. It was one of the worst 99 overall cards that have ever been seen. Elsewhere, I wrote about how I thought (hoped) it was simply a stealth player program that was going to be updated later in the year with a massively juiced Retro Finest Griffey. That never happened. But within that program, the same Coach banner and Angry Coach profile picture that’s in this program was included. This was either a long-term troll by SDS or they dropped a legitimately cool Easter egg to foreshadow this program.

How to Complete the Extreme Program in MLB The Show 23

As for the actual grind, there’s a ton of stuff you’ll need to do in order to earn the above mentioned rewards. Normally, I like providing some form of itinerary for you to follow in order to efficiently complete programs. With the Extreme Program, however, you’re going to be legitimately frustrated to the point that you’ll need to take a break from the game. Or at the very least, you’ll be maniacally grinding your soul away so even if frustration doesn’t set in, exhaustion will. I’m going to suggest an order to at least get started in the program, but ultimately you should pick and choose what to tackle based off your own skill, available time and simply what you’re feeling the most.

Optional

A wrinkle in this year’s Extreme Program is the Turn It Up A Notch Event. Within this Event, you can earn versions of Bruce Sutter, Tom Glavine and Javier Baez (12-win reward) and then lock them into a collection that earns you 28 program stars. This is a surefire speed boost for anyone wanting to complete Extreme as quickly as possible. Sutter and Glavine are nothing to write home about, but the Baez card is actually pretty good and a worthy 12-win reward on its own. The fact that its also required to complete the program collection means the card will be incredibly expensive for a while. One unbelievably important note: the collection and the 28 potential program stars are only available until August 11. That means after the Event ends, the collection goes away and you’ll have no choice but to play everything within the program. You can buy these cards off the marketplace until August 11 to complete the collection, but the cards are going to be prohibitively expensive for most people if you’re able to get a buy order to go through at all.

1. Moments

As with most programs, I recommend knocking out at least some of the Moments first. There are 13 Moments in the program that can earn you 45 program stars upon completion. That’s nearly half the program stars required to finish the program. Just as an example, this approach will earn you Ketel Marte and Billy Wagner which can help you get started on the stat missions. Then, if you complete the stat missions for each, you’ll gain another 10 program stars which will earn you Mike Piazza. Completing his mission while working on the program PXP missions can eventually earn you Matt Cain, which then puts you in position to complete either Extreme Conquest or Extreme Showdown to finish the program. This is one path towards completion that would also take quite a while, but if you’re looking to take a somewhat easier path then this might be for you. Otherwise, knocking out these Moments then completing Showdown will earn you Marte, Wagner and Piazza at which point you can load them into your squad to tackle Extreme Conquest and begin grinding stats that way.

In terms of the actual Moments, they’re mostly on All-Star difficulty which is higher than most of the Moments typically are. There are two Moments that require you to play on Legend where you’ll have to hit a HR and get on base four times in a single game. Overall, I think most of these are doable for the average player and your personal luck will determine the length of time it takes. Some of these are crazy and will require a lot of replaying or luck like hitting for the cycle in a game with Elly De La Cruz on All-Star, the aforementioned get on base four times in a game with Juan Soto on Legend, getting four hits in a single game including a HR and a 3B with Shohei Ohtani on All-Star and hitting back-to-back-to-back HRs on Hall of Fame. There’s a perfect game moment in here for Matt Cain where you have to throw a perfect game that’s on Veteran difficulty. This one is quite doable, but the amount of luck involved here will be maddening. I can comfortably throw no-hitters and perfect games against the CPU on Legend, but there’s so much room for infuriation with bloop hits and squibbers here that this could end up being a heartbreak for many.

2. Showdown

I pretty much outlined the plan above, but after completing enough Moments to earn 35 program stars you’ll have Marte and Wagner. The Showdown pays out 20 program stars which can get you to Piazza and net you three of the reward cards to begin grinding Conquest. This Showdown is an all-Bosses affair, meaning you don’t have shorter Moments in between to earn more runs or cards. Each Showdown is a win-or-restart scenario which adds even more anxiety and stress to the showdowns. The Bosses feature the following pitchers, difficulties and criteria:

• RHP Matt Cain – All-Star – Score 4 runs in 9 outs
• LHP Aroldis Chapman – All-Star – Score 1 run in 9 outs
• RHP Bob Gibson – All-Star – Score 7 runs in 17 outs
• LHP Chris Sale – Hall of Fame – Score 3 runs in 20 outs
• RHP Goose Gossage – Hall of Fame – Score 2 runs in 13 outs
• LHP Billy Wagner – Hall of Fame – Score 3 runs in 11 outs
• RHP Nolan Ryan – Hall of Fame – Score 5 runs in 15 outs
• LHP Randy Johnson – Legend – Score 3 runs in 25 outs

As with any Showdown, you can skip to the final boss at any time. You need to score 26 runs in order to complete the Showdown, so if you think you’re tough enough to face Randy Johnson on Legend and score 26 runs in 25 outs, then you’re tough enough to get into the Salty Spitoon.

3. Conquest/Mini Seasons/Missions

Once you’ve clawed your way to Mike Piazza in the reward path, you can probably choose whichever path you prefer. Conquest requires you to beat all 30 MLB teams within 6 turns and forces you to play on Hall of Fame. This one is tricky because, depending where you’re at in the territory chain, a loss might mean you lose all your territories. The earlier you lose, the more likely it is that the CPU will steal all your homies. If you make it all the way to the Cubs, which seems to be where you can start playing on All-Star, then you might be able to sustain a loss or two and continue on the conquering spree. This adds a lot more suspense and anxiety to Conquest that typically isn’t there and is akin to Extreme Showdown. Completing Conquest will earn you 25 program stars.

Or if you prefer, you can jump into Mini Seasons and start grinding there. Either way, Conquest and Mini Seasons will allow you to work on the stat and PXP missions for Marte, Wagner and Piazza and get you working towards Cain and Griffey Jr. You’ll earn vouchers along the way in Mini Seasons which can be exchanged in the Extreme Program menu. Each voucher is worth 2 program stars each. Voucher rewards can be earned in the following ways:

• (Repeatable) Win 15 games on All-Star or higher (1 voucher)
• 60 Total Bases on All-Star or higher (1 voucher)
• (Repeatable) Win 10 games on Hall of Fame (2 vouchers)
• Score 10 runs in a single game on Hall of Fame or Legend (2 vouchers)
• (Repeatable) Win 5 games on Legend (3 vouchers)
• Record 30 Strikeouts while pitching on Legend (3 vouchers)
• Make the playoffs (1 voucher)
• Reach the Semi-Finals (2 vouchers)
• Win the Mini Seasons Championship (3 vouchers)

It’s important to point out that you can only earn vouchers for getting to the playoffs and winning the championship a single time. Winning the championship a single time will earn you a total of 6 vouchers which nets you 12 program stars. Theoretically, you could complete the entire program just from Mini Seasons with less of a grind than Conquest if you can handle Legend. Another note, the difficulty missions do not overlap with each other. If you win 5 games on Legend, that number has no bearing on the Hall of Fame or All-Star win missions. You must be playing on the actual difficulty listed to earn progress for that specific mission. If a mission is listed as “x difficulty or higher,” then you’ll earn progress as long as you’re on the minimum difficulty listed.

Extreme Conquest and Mini Seasons do not fall under the Sets and Seasons rules. That means you can use any card you possess, regardless of its legality in Ranked at the moment. It’s true God Squad action and actually a really fun challenge for offline players that can help you progress. That applies to the CPU teams as well. All the teams in Mini Seasons are stacked like true Diamond Dynasty God Squads, which means you probably won’t be running into a random Common RP that you can light up for easy runs.

One final mission included in the program is a repeatable PXP grind that pays out 3 program stars for every 25,000 PXP you earn. This isn’t something you can necessarily go all-in on to complete Extreme quickly. For reference, I’ve been working on Team Affinity 3’s Mini Seasons since Extreme launched and I’m at about 3,000 PXP earned from playing on All-Star. This is simply a nice accrual mission that will supplement your grinding along the way. It’s why I ultimately look at Mini Seasons and Conquest as the more fun method to the madness. It’s a longer and slower grind for most, but doesn’t require online play and means you can even skip the Showdown if you choose. Having a nice 3 program star boost randomly pop up along the way will be a nice little reward that helps the grind end sooner.

Again, your path of destruction is up to you. If you’re a highly skilled player that plays online all the time, ripping through the Event, knocking out some Moments and then blasting through Showdown will get this done fairly quick. You can really choose a path here to complete Extreme and we aren’t tied into doing it the same way. I think that’s a brilliant design choice by SDS because it provides options – something that was sorely missing from Diamond Dynasty over the years.

MLB The Show 23 Extreme Program Rewards

Now that we’ve detailed the grind, the real question is: is it worth it? In addition to the packs, Stubs and XP; players who dare accept the Extreme challenge will earn 5 player-items. With the required hours, patience and fortitude required to earn them – where do these cards rank in Meta Overall?

2B Retro All-Star Game Ketel Marte (Arizona Diamondbacks)

Meta Overall rating: 105.54; SS: 103.47, LF: 104.63, CF: 101.75, RF: 102.68 – 42nd best overall card in DD, 4th best 2B

One of Diamond Dynasty’s true community favorites, Ketel Marte cards are almost always highly sought after for good reason. For starters, Marte features switch-hitting ability, high-contact, good power, decent speed and positional versatility. This Retro All-Star version features 120 CON L, 116 CON R, 103 PWR L, 101 PWR R with 125 Clutch. Marte’s got one of those swings that plays significantly better with these attributes. His 83 stock Fielding means he’ll be a Gold shield at 2B naturally and can carry a Gold shield at all of his eligible positions once he reaches Parallel II. No matter where you play this card, Marte’s glitchy swing will have a major impact on your offense and will be able to hold his own in the field. If you want a negative, this card has no worthwhile Quirks. But when factoring in his unbelievable swing, I think you’ll be more than happy with the trade-off.

CP Incognito Billy the Kid! [Billy Wagner] (Philadelphia Phillies)

Meta Overall rating: 110.26 – 13th best overall card in DD, #1 CP

Billy the Kid. Billy Wags. Call him what you want, but you have to call him the best CP in the game. Known for his elite velocity, Wagner unsurprisingly carries Outlier with this Incognito version. In addition to the Outlier 4-Seamer, Wagner features a devastating Slider with 92 Control and 99 Break, a Curveball with 81 Control and 91 Break and a Changeup with 78 Control and 84 Break. The elite 4-Seame/Slider combination is Wagner’s bread and butter, but the inclusion of the Changeup means this should truly be a top-shelf Wagner card. Some of Wagner’s variants that lack Changeups can get beat up sometimes, but having that Changeup creates a nasty speed differential that will have you dicing up hitters easily. Curveballs suck in this game, but Wagner’s is so slow that you might be able to get some major usage out of it if used correctly. I usually like starting lefties off with a Curveball on the inside part of the plate since they’re most likely swinging out of their shoes. But the 81 Control makes that a tricky proposition.

Wagner’s attributes are what you’d expect here. He features 125 H/9, 125 K/9, 85 BB/9 and 125 Clutch.

Premium lefty relievers are always desired in real life and in Diamond Dynasty. This Billy Wagner is the very best.

C Retro All-Star Game Mike Piazza (Los Angeles Dodgers)

Meta Overall rating: 107.98 – 21st overall card, 3rd best Catcher

Mike Piazza is the third card earnable within the Extreme Program reward path and just happens to currently be the 3rd best Catcher in the game. Sporting 121 CON L, 102 CON R, 108 PWR L, 125 PWR R and 113 Clutch, Piazza is his usual dominant offensive self. A unique attribute split sees Piazza hitting for more Contact against LHP but more Power against RHP. This means there’s really no reason to platoon him, though I’m not sure you’d ever platoon a card with 100+ attributes anyway. Pedestrian Fielding at 78 shouldn’t prevent you from starting this Piazza behind the dish. Piazza also features Dead Red which is one of the more desirable Quirks available to offensive players.

With Piazza’s improved swing from last year, there’s much more playability here than years past.

SP Milestone Matt Cain (San Francisco Giants)

Meta Overall rating: 105.41 – 3rd best SP

New legend Matt Cain sees his perfect game from 2012 immortalized with this Milestone card. Featuring 125 H/9, 102 K/9, 100 BB/9 and 125 Clutch, Cain is represented well enough in the attribute department. Max H/9 is usually enough to get DD players excited,, but coupled with the 100 BB/9 Cain stands above many SP in Diamond Dynasty. Truthfully, Cain’s pitch-mix isn’t overly exciting. A 4-Seamer at 96+ MPH is complimented by a Slider with 96 Control and 99 Break, a Curveball with 90 Control and 99 Break, a Circle-Change with 87 Control and 94 Break and a Sinker with 86 Control and 90 Break. The biggest speed differential is between the 4-Seamer and the Curveball, with the Slider at 86+ MPH, the Circle-Change at 85+MPH and the Sinker at 94+ MPH. Cain’s overall speed differentials, combined with the superb Break and exceptional Control should help Cain play better than his repertoire might lead you to believe. I think this card can be an absolute beast in the right hands, though All-Star level players might feel underwhelmed given the grind required to earn this card.

Regardless, Meta Overall loves Matt Cain and ranks him as the 3rd best SP currently in the game. That alone should make him worth the grind and at least earn him some starts on your Ranked squad.

CF Retro Home Run Derby Ken Griffey Jr. (Seattle Mariners)

Meta Overall rating: 113.25; LF: 114.01, RF: 113.28 – 7th best overall card in DD, 2nd best CF

The single most desired card in this entire program and perhaps even all of Diamond Dynasty, Retro Home Run Derby Ken Griffey Jr. is the final reward in the Extreme Program. A 99 overall Ken Griffey Jr. is always seen as the holy grail, and SDS dropping one at the end of Extreme is a clever way to generate interest in the program. But is this Griffey worth the trouble?

Well, he features 105 CON L, 110 CON R, 125 PWR against both sides and 125 Clutch. You could argue the Contact is a bit low, but it’s pretty much in line with what we’ve come to expect from 99 overall Griffeys. Stock Fielding at 90 might seem criminally low to some, but it also means he’ll carry a Diamond shield across the entire OF once he’s at Parallel 5. The trademark cannon arm is featured with 92 Arm Strength and 91 Accuracy and the 91 Reaction combined with the 90 Fielding means we should see plenty of majestic glides across the OF grass to disappoint many hitters.

On the Quirk side, Retro HRD Griffey Jr. features Dead Red and Breaking Ball Hitter, which means he’s getting a slight boost with pretty much every single pitch thrown his way. Oh and – remember earlier when I mentioned this is the only Core card? That’s probably worth mentioning again. No matter how long it might take you to earn this Griffey Jr. card, you’ll be able to use him for the rest of the year no matter what Season we’re in. That’s massively important because it means you don’t have to burn your Wild Card slot just to keep using him. I think it’s a slight miss that the other cards are Set 3 cards and subject to rotation, but ensuring that Ken Griffey Jr. is usable for the rest of the game cycle makes a ton of sense and it’s a solid move by SDS.

One final note I find interesting about this card. It’s the 2nd best CF behind Mickey Mantle’s Incognito card from Set 2. These two cards are fairly close, with Griffey falling just a couple points in Meta Overall behind Mantle. Not surprising given Mantle’s switch-hitting excellence. But do you remember the first 99 overall card we got this year? The Charisma series Ken Griffey Jr. that was a featured Battle Royale reward back in April is still the 3rd best CF according to Meta Overall. It falls about 7 points below the Home Run Derby version, meaning Ken Griffey Jr. has 2 of the 3 top CF cards in the game. The Home Run Derby version’s maxed out Power is really the reason why. Meaning, if you’re absolutely dying to use a Ken Griffey Jr. card on your squad but don’t want to go through all the trouble to earn this one, using the Charisma series card as your Wild Card at Parallel 5 actually gets you strikingly close.

The Closer

This year’s Extreme Program has a lot more versatility than year’s past. Being able to complete the program your own way, without being forced into any particular modes and being able to play at your own pace is a huge win. It’s been something that has been sorely missing from MLB The Show and that’s true player choice. If you want to rip a ton of online games, destroy the CPU in Moments and Showdown to get Griffey as fast as possible – you can. If you want to carefully construct your ultimate squad and face the CPU on the highest difficulties in Conquest and Mini Seasons without playing a single inning online or touching a single Showdown – you can. That alone makes this program worth completing, as the rewards are certainly worth adding to your squad no matter your skill level.

Marte, Wagner, Piazza and Cain being Set 3 cards and subject to rotation is a bummer. In fact, I’m not sure I understand the choice by SDS but it doesn’t matter in the end. By the time most people unlock these cards, at most they’ll miss a single season due to rotation and as we’ve seen; there will be plenty of amazing cards to use when Set 5 hits Diamond Dynasty.

What are your thoughts on this year’s Extreme Program? Have you already completed it? Are you even going to bother attempting it? What’s your strategy? Let us know in the comments below!