Evolution programs have been some of the most popular in MLB The Show over the years. In MLB The Show 25, we've gotten the Cornerstone Evolution programs with each new Inning Program. These have been a somewhat traditional setup, rewarding Diamond versions of each respective player after some grinding.
The Yu Darvish Evolution program follows a similar cadence, but features Yu Darvish exclusively and tasking you with grinding lower-rated versions to unlock the 95 overall Standout version.
Program Breakdown
To complete the program, you'll need to accrue 75 total program stars while grinding with Yu Darvish cards. In typical fashion, you'll be able to complete a couple Moments to earn the Rookie version of Darvish and start the stat and PXP grind pretty quickly.
Pro Tip: There's an optional 20-star Extreme Moment tasking you with throwing a Perfect Game on Veteran difficulty. Completing this Extreme Moment will allow you to skip an entire folder of missions and complete the program relatively quicker.
The usual mix of stat and PXP grinds are attached to the 85 and 90 overall versions, with the 90 overall requiring some extra time and stats. The final group of missions is an accrual folder, as any Darvish card will contribute to those grinds. That means you'll stack missions between the Rookie and Veteran versions and progress there naturally.
Program Rewards
- 3 Diamond Yu Darvish Cards
- 6 Show Packs
- 18,000 XP
- 500 Stubs
Overall, a fun program celebrating one of the best pitchers of his generation. Free Rookie and Veteran cards can help toward collections, and ultimately they're fodder leading up to the big 95 overall Standout Darvish.
95 Standout SP Yu Darvish (San Diego Padres) - #3 True Overall
Standout Darvish debuts as the #3 SP according to True Overall, but less favorably as the #14 SP in Meta Overall. There's a couple reasons for that.
While the on-card attributes are solid, with a healthy 101 H/9 and 100 Clutch and strong K/9 and BB/9, there's not a great spread in terms of speed differentials. Darvish throws three different Fastballs, with the Cutter coming in a bit slower. His Slider and Sweeper both have exceptional Control and Break, but they're both fairly close together speed wise. It doesn't mean you can't effectively sequence, but the lack of a Splitter or Changeup leave Darvish with three pitches breaking across the same plan, and three fastballs roughly the same speed.
The other big knock is lack of Quirks, as Standout Darvish only has Pick-Off Artist. In terms of SP darlings, Darvish can still be effective in the hands of skilled pitchers. For those that rely on pure stuff, Darvish might find himself on the outside looking in at the rotation.
Regardless, free cards are always a plus and a 95 overall SP will still be welcomed by plenty of rotations.
Cory Wayne Dell
Cory has been writing about all things baseball and gaming since 2022 and has been featured at Operation Sports as well as cited by Forbes. Cory is also a multi-instrumentalist and founder of the band Cargocastle. Cargocastle's latest single, "Truth and Reconciliation," is available on Spotify and all major streaming platforms. Cory is also the author of Shadow of a Monster, a personal memoir currently seeking publication.
