On top of the new Ranked program dropping this week, we also get a healthy amount of new cards hitting packs. We get a takeover from Kaiju cards appearing in Show packs, the latest Diamond Duos set and a brand new Chase card.

MLB The Show 23: Kaiju Takeover

In one of the more unique content drops we’ve seen, special Kaiju cards are being dispersed in specially marked packs in the Show Shop until June 14th. All standard Show packs are branded as Kaiju Takeover during this time and the packs in the shop feature modified odds.

Standard Show/Takeover  packs are still 1,500 Stubs each and feature the following odds:

• 1:100 – 90+ overall
• 1:40 – 85+ overall
• 1:10 – 80-84 Gold

Jumbo packs make their return with the Kaiju Takeover. These packs feature 40 cards – all player items. This means no random equipment or logos gumming up your chances at good pulls. Users are limited to purchasing two of these packs and they cost 15,000 Stubs each. The odds on Jumbo Takeover packs are:

• 1:6 – 97+ overall
• 1:2 – 90+ overall
• Guaranteed Gold

Finally, a unique bundle appears alongside the Kaiju during this special period. The Kaiju Takeover 20 Show Pack Bundle features 20 of the specially marked Kaiju Takeover Show packs. You also get a Jumbo Takeover pack and a Chase Pack 4 pack. This bundle can be purchased as many times as you’d like at a cost of 60,000 Stubs.

I typically don’t buy packs but I’m intrigued by the Jumbo packs. Now that I have the Live Series complete, the guaranteed player items doesn’t do much for me. But if you haven’t yet completed the Live Series collection, this is actually a great way to pad your binder with an increased shot at big pulls. That’s the part that intrigues me – 1:6 odds at a 97+.

The 20-pack bundle is also intriguing. We’re limited to purchasing two of the Jumbo packs straight up so this is another chance to crack these. You also get a Chase Pack which is typically only available in the 50-pack bundles or random drops from standard Show packs. This puts the Chase Pack at a 15,000 Stub value alongside the Jumbo packs. That’s not a terrible rate to pay for a guaranteed Diamond, although you have to consider that you can end up pulling an 85 overall Live Series card that’s worth under 4,000 Stubs.

This is a fairly unique attempt by SDS to generate interest in pack purchases and seems to be working. Like I said, I don’t often buy packs but will most likely be purchasing at least the Jumbo packs just for a bit of a thrill.

The following Kaiju cards are featured in the Takeover packs:

• Masataka Yoshida, LF Boston Red Sox (99 OVR)
• Jose Altuve, 2B Houston Astros (99 OVR)
• Trevor Hoffman, CP San Diego Padres (99 OVR)
• Jorge Polanco, 2B Minnesota Twins (97 OVR)
• Orlando Cepeda, 1B San Francisco Giants (97 OVR)
• German Marquez, SP Colorado Rockies (97 OVR)
• Yasmani Grandal, C Chicago White Sox (97 OVR)
• Daulton Varsho, LF Toronto Blue Jays (97 OVR)
• Hank Aaron, RF Atlanta Braves (90 OVR)
• Stan Musial, CF St. Louis Cardinals (90 OVR)
• Eddie Mathews, 3B Atlanta Braves (90 OVR)
• Eric Gagne, CP Los Angeles Dodgers (90 OVR)
• Andrelton Simmons, SS Los Angeles Angels (90 OVR)

Jose Altuve is the best card featured in this round of 99 overall cards. Altuve low-key saunters into the Meta Overall rankings as the 4th best 2B. Max Contact against both sides, decent Power against both sides with 125 Clutch, Gold Fielding and 86 Speed makes him a fun card featured in this drop. There’s also some lower-rated versions of players that have cards in the game already that might be harder for some to acquire.

Diamond Duos 20

Not to be forgotten this week is the usual Diamond Duos set. We get another RP in Dennis Eckersley and a 3B in Mike Lowell.

CP Incognito Eck! [Dennis Eckersley] (Oakland Athletics)

Meta Overall rating: 83.83

Dennis Eckersley is one of the most iconic RP in baseball history. A Hall of Famer with elite command, Eck unfortunately doesn’t translate to MLB The Show.

The paltry Meta Overall rating can partially be attributed to his weak pitch mix. A primary Slider with max Control, Sinker with max Control, 4-Seamer with max Control and a slow Curveball with 92 Control highlight that Hall of Fame command. However, Eck doesn’t really throw hard and the Sinker comes in at 92 MPH. Even the 4-Seamer doesn’t pop the mitt compared to the stable of elite RP already available.

I don’t think Eck is a lockdown closer or someone that should be pitching in high-leverage situations. He might have 125 H/9 and 125 BB/9, but a Clutch rating of 97 makes him more suitable for mop-up duty or even as an opener.

Incognito Dennis Eckersley rates out as the 33rd best RP in the game.

3B Kaiju Mike Lowell

Meta Overall rating: 103.01; 1B: 105.68, 2B: 101.47

Mike Lowell stomps in with a Kaiju card featuring his first 99 overall of the year. A lefty masher, Lowell features max Power and Contact against LHP. He also features 102 CON R and 81 POW R which might make him an ideal platoon player. On the Quirks side, Lowell gets Dead Red as the main standout Quirk.

Elsewhere, Lowell has decent Fielding with 82 Fielding and 78 Reaction. He’ll play a decent enough hot corner for you and also gets better-than-I’d-have-expected Speed with 72 Speed. I mentioned Lowell being an ideal platoon candidate against LHP, but he could also be a nasty pinch-hitter in key situations. With Pinch Hitter and Situational Hitter Quirks on the profile, Lowell could be a deadly platoon substitution late in the game against a LHP.

Kaiju Mike Lowell is the 14th best 3B according to Meta Overall.

Chase Pack 4 – Kaiju Joe Mauer

Meta Overall rating: 115.32; 1B: 114.06

Rounding out the content this week is the reveal of the newest Chase card. Joe Mauer gets a 99 overall Kaiju card that is simply insane. Long known within The Show for having an incredible swing, Joe Mauer gets the juiciest Mauer card we could possibly imagine.

125 CON L. 125 CON R. 116 POW R. 100 POW L. 125 Clutch. On a Catcher.

It goes without saying that these are absolutely insane attributes for any Catcher. Mauer was also known for elite defense that’s well represented here with 99 Fielding, 97 Arm Strength, 96 Accuracy, 93 Reaction and 99 Blocking. Wrapped up as a total package with Mauer’s incredible swing and you get not only the best Catcher in the game – you get the very best card in the entire game.

That’s correct. Better than Mickey Mantle. Better than Chipper Jones. Better than Hank Aaron, David Wright and Sammy Sosa.

Kaiju Joe Mauer is the best card in the game and given his position, it might not even be that close. I loved using Mauer last year and would love to add this card to my squad. With the previously detailed Kaiju Takeover packs somewhat increasing the chances of pulling Mauer, SDS certainly knows what they’re doing with this premium pack drop.

Are you buying packs to chase Joe Mauer?