It took a little time, but we do indeed see the Headliner pack series return in MLB The Show 26. Typically, Headliners are released once or twice a week over the course of a game cycle. Some years, Headliner cards ended up being some of the better cards available. Other times, the cards are wholly uninteresting and are mostly just collection fodder.
The first Headliner of the year is a premium bullpen arm, that should have some staying power over the first couple of months.
Headliners 1 Pack Breakdown
10,000 Stubs per pack / 5 packs per user
Contains 1 Silver or better player item and 2 other player items. Increased chance to find the featured Headliner Pack 1 player Contributor Trevor Hoffman.
1:8 - 85+ Diamond Player
1:3 - 80+ Gold Player
1:1 - 75+ Silver Player
Meta Overall: #2 Closing Pitcher
Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman gets the honor of first Headliner. This Contributor series card immediately deploys as the #2 CP in Diamond Dynasty. You have pretty much everything on a Hoffman card you expect here.
Devastating Circle Change, 4-Seamer hitting the mid-90's, with a trio of breaking balls with unique pitch speeds. Any reliever with 109 Clutch this early feels insane, yet we also get 90+ in H/9 and K/9 against both sides.
This is a great card every way around.
The curious detail is the increase from 7,500 Stubs to 10,000 Stubs. This is a noticeable increase, considering the variance in quality of Headliner cards over the years. Might this be an indication that Headliners will be consistently top-tier?
Live Series 80+ Player x10 Pack
40,000 Stubs per pack / 2 packs per user
Contains 10 80+ Gold or better Live Series player items.
Also dropping today is what I believe to be a new offering, as I can't recall seeing this before.
Essentially, you're spending 40,000 Stubs to guarantee yourself at least 10 80+ overall cards. There's stated odds of 1:14 to hit a 90+ card, 1:6 to hit 88+, and 1:2 to hit 85+.
It's a fairly pricy gamble that can net you diamonds at a higher rate than normal. I'm usually happy to pick off the cards that drop in price versus gamble, but the option is there for those interested.
Ripping any packs from this drop? Share your pulls in the comments below!
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.
