Friday typically brings the goods when it comes to Diamond Dynasty's content drops inside MLB The Show 26. This week is highlighted by a brand new card series that delivers a fresh batch of content across DD.
Let's take a look.
MLB The Show 26 Mural Program Breakdown
The Mural card series highlights each player and their career numbers for the associated team on the card. We get both legends and flashbacks with this drop, meaning we even get some under-the-radar players to go along with big name Hall of Famers.
I'm a huge fan of the program design this year. There's no more mindless grinding with program rewards required to progress and complete the program. Instead, we're able to knock out a few Moments that are fairly easy, then just play the game however we want basically and complete the program without it feeling forced.
It's refreshing. It's also kept fresh with the Parallel Mod system addition this year, as there's always something worth doing.
What's the Best Way To Complete Programs and Collections in MLB The Show 26
My method when there's an associated event is to complete the Moments first, buy up all the new pack cards that are around quick-sell value, knock out any tiers of the collection that I can, then just hop online into the Event. It's very easy to progress in both the Mural Event Program and Mural Program this way, without committing a huge amount of Stubs to gamble with packs.
Remember: These packs are more available than ever, meaning the overall cost of the Mural collection will decrease over the next few weeks. Buying the cheap cards at quick-sell let's you fill your binder, possibly knock out the first collection reward (Vladimir Guerrero), and also work towards completing two programs at once. Eventually, you'll earn more Mural packs over time and potentially fill out the collection this way. It will also result in the cards being cheaper on the market.
MLB The Show 26 Mural Program Card Reviews
The Mural card art reminds me of an insert-set in a Flagship Topps set. Some card art is just striking graphic design, others are perfect representations of real sports cards wrapped up in our video game flavor.
SDS consistently produces high-quality card art, and I'm still waiting for the day that these can be turned into real life cards somehow.
Adrian Morejon of the San Diego Padres is the first card you earn in the program and perhaps the best in the entire program.
He debuts as the #1 Meta Overall Relief Pitcher which immediately upgrades the baseline toughness of bullpens across Ranked. Morejon has a great pitch mix for a high-leverage reliever, including an Outlier Sinker. His repertoire is thrown hard with a ton of break, and 88 Control on a reliever like this so early in the year is huge. Oh yeah - the 115 Clutch is kinda nuts and it's easy to see why Meta Overall loves him.
This card rules and it's free. Add him to your bullpen.
The second card you'll earn in the program is Colorado Rockies' Catcher Hunter Goodman.
Goodman doesn't make the same positional impact that Morejon does, but he's still coming in as a top-10 Meta Overall catcher. He'll also be able to play 1B, LF, and RF respectably. Offensively, you're mostly getting a power-hitting right-handed bat that can handle both handedness pitchers in any situation.
Obviously, Goodman is a stellar addition to any Rockies theme team. If you've been playing Diamond Dynasty even somewhat consistently to this point, you probably have better options already.
A little past halfway through the program you'll unlock Mural Grady Sizemore.
This Sizemore is one of those balanced cards that almost looks too balanced and doesn't stand out. That doesn't mean it's a bad card; just not a sexy one.
Sizemore slaps righties and then does basically everything else slightly above-average. He's a solid fielder that holds his own against lefties and with runners in scoring position. His Speed is pretty solid and he'll steal a couple bags for you if you try enough.
Like Goodman, Sizemore falls right in the middle of all outfielders and looks very good on a Guardians theme team.
Everyone will have a chance to upgrade their rotation by unlocking Mural Bryan Woo of the Seattle Mariners towards the end of the program.
Woo locks in as the #10 Meta Overall Starting Pitcher - for the moment.
Woo has a very usable pitch mix and the attributes are more than solid enough to take online. The 95 Control can make Woo a sneakier success with the perfected ABS strikezone.
I will absolutely be taking Woo online. You can never know how good a card is until you use it, but some pitchers don't have good enough pitch mixes to even warrant the time. Woo certainly deserves a couple of starts to earn a permanent spot in your rotation.
The ultimate reward in the program is 93 OVR Mural Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Earned by completing the entire program, Vlad Jr. comes with the expected offensive firepower that we see here. Possessing 91+ in all the Contact-based attributes, Vladdy will still hit a fair number of bombs for you. A primary first baseman with third base eligibility isn't unique, but Vladdy has a great swing and Quirks and will always be a great addition to your lineup.
MLB The Show 26 Mural Pack Breakdown
The Mural series gets the Deluxe/Premier/Ultra treatment in the Show Shop. As usual, packs are never a good exchange of Stubs but you gotta pay to play. At worst, you'll lose a couple thousand Stubs on the base tier if you resell at a loss.
The players included in the Mural packs are:
- David Ortiz, 1B, BOS (93 OVR)
- Jose Bautista, RF, TOR (93 OVR)
- Bob Gibson, SP, STL (93 OVR)
- Manny Machado, 3B, SD (93 OVR)
- Alejandro Kirk, C, TOR (92 OVR)
- Dansby Swanson, SS, CHC (92 OVR)
- Ryan Braun, LF, MIL (92 OVR)
- Troy Glaus, 3B, LAA (92 OVR)
- CC Sabathia, SP, NYY (92 OVR)
- Jeff Conine, LF, MIA (91 OVR)
- Brooks Robinson, 3B, BAL (91 OVR)
- Duke Snider, CF, LAD (91 OVR)
- Rod Carew, 2B, MIN (91 OVR)
- Tony Gwynn, RF, SD (91 OVR)
- Raisel Iglesias, RP, ATL (91 OVR)
Chase Pack 10 Featuring 95 OVR Mural Carlos Santana (Cleveland Guardians)
The Chase Pack refreshes yet again, and yet again it's a high-octane switch-hitter.
The hits write themselves, folks.
I'm not sure if Carlos Santana will ever be inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, but he is already an inner-circle member of the Diamond Dynasty Hall of Fame.
Santana's cards are just always nuts. He's a switch-hitter with one of the best swings in the game, great offensive attributes, and solid defense at first base, catcher, and third base.
Whether you can ever actually use this card; that's an entirely different topic.
MLB The Show 26 Mural Conquest Map
A new Conquest map provides new offline content to grind, including packs and 92 OVR Mural Ralph Kiner.
MLB The Show 26 Mural Diamond Quest Map
There is also a new Diamond Quest map tied into the Mural theme. This map includes two exclusive Mural cards - Johnny Damon and Ozzie Smith.
MLB The Show 26 Mural Mini Seasons Challenge Breakdown
There is also a new Mini Seasons challenge, featuring four exclusive Mural card rewards:
- George Springer, RF, TOR (92 OVR)
- Wyatt Langford, LF, TEX (91 OVR)
- Cal Ripken Jr., SS, BAL (91 OVR)
- Bruce Sutter, CP, STL (91 OVR)
Progression Tip: If you're planning on doing the Mural Collection detailed below, you'll need to complete this Mini Seasons challenge as these cards are not available on the marketplace. The Mini Season can be completed using 7 game seasons with 3 innings per game, speeding up the completion process significantly as long as you're able to complete the missions through gameplay. Don't be afraid to beat up the CPU on easier difficulties to complete your grind quick!
MLB The Show 26 Moonshot Event Program Breakdown
The ever-popular Moonshot rule-set returns as the active Event to tie into the Mural theme. Bring any hitter you want with no restrictions to face off against Bronze and Common pitchers.
These event programs have been quite easy to complete, and you'll be able to unlock Mural Mike Moustakas even if you don't rack up wins. If you're able to win at least 5 games in the event while completing the other missions, you'll be able to pick up a Deluxe Mural Pack and the first Events Rewind pack we've seen this year.
If you missed out on Event rewards earlier in the year that increased in price after their supply was cut off, you'll have a chance to add those cards to your collection now if you complete this program.
I personally think it's a great idea for anyone playing Diamond Dynasty to play these events to earn the reward cards at a minimum. You'll be able to sell them for significant Stubs when we get closer to the next major Legends and Flashbacks collection, or simply save yourself Stubs by collecting it yourself if you're completing collections.
Events are the best environment for new players to continue getting reps in the game without the ego-bruise of watching the Ranked ratings fall after a loss.
MLB The Show 26 Mural Collection Reward Jose Ramirez
Every premium card series that gets a content drop like this also gets a collection.
- Collect 29 = Jose Ramirez, 3B, CLE (95 OVR) - #2 Meta Overall Second Baseman, #6 Meta Overall Third Baseman, #10 Meta Overall Shortstop, #5 Meta Overall Left Fielder
- Collect 21 = Roy Halladay, SP, PHI (94 OVR) - #2 Meta Overall Starting Pitcher
- Collect 13 = Vladimir Guerrero, RF, LAA (93 OVR) - #12 Meta Overall Right Fielder
Do you like good cards? Great cards?
Boy do I have good news for you. Jose Ramirez is still really good at baseball, and he finds himself as the 95 OVR Mural Collection Reward. You'll need to collect 29 Mural series cards to unlock him, and it's crazy expensive right now, but Ramirez is always one of the best cards in Diamond Dynasty.
Ramirez is a switch-hitter that has no disadvantage offensively, that also plays great defense across four positions. Oh yeah, he also has 75 Speed and 90 Stealing which puts him in greenlight-to-run-all-of-the-time territory for me.
Not only that, but he also has pretty much all of the Quirks you want on a hitter in your starting lineup and a very good swing. If you're willing to pay the hefty price, you'll pick up the current 18th best Meta Overall card in Diamond Dynasty.
Pro Tip: These can be purchased and sold on the marketplace, meaning you can comfortably skip out on playing Diamond Quest if you so choose and still obtain the cards as long as you're willing to pay the Stubs.
May Spotlight Program and Pack Drop 2 Breakdown
It wouldn't be a Friday drop without the Spotlight Program. It's definitely flying under the radar with the Mural series dropping today as well, but it's still a great idea to keep up with the Spotlight content. Whether you're doing the collection to skip grinding the program, or finishing the program the old fashioned way - you're saving future you a ton of time when the May monthly program launches.
Complete the program as you see fit to unlock the following players:
The pack players this week are:
- Tyler Glasnow, SP, LAD (93 OVR)
- Travis Bazzana, 2B, CLE (93 OVR)
- Bryce Eldridge, 1B, SF (91 OVR)
- Walbert Urena, SP, LAA (91 OVR)
- Ryan Waldschmidt, CF, AZ (91 OVR)
Final Notes
A free Armed Forces Day Camo Pack is available in the Show Shop. You'll get a handful of themed aesthetic items, some of which can go into the equipment collections if you haven't finished them yet. Easy Stubs! You'll also get three unique Digital Camo San Diego Padres uniforms. If you want all of the free stuff, head into Road to the Show's shop to grab a different free bundle as well.
Download the new ShowZone Mobile App for iOS and Android today! Take your ShowZone account with you and maximize your Stub balance while tracking program progress, collections, and much more!
