MLB The Show 26, like FC 26, is a competitive game. Diamond-level players have a higher ceiling and can pull off incredible swings or pitches, but you're still the one in control.

Here, we'll focus mainly on how you approach pitching. This covers not just in-game techniques, but also your settings and even your hardware. Whether you're a newcomer or a veteran, this guide aims to help you level up your pitching game.

Controller Choice

For Xbox players, the default controller feels somewhat sluggish in MLB 26. Plugging a microphone into the auxiliary port improves the situation a little, but it still won't give you 1:1 precision. Therefore, you can use a third-party controller for pitching. PlayStation players don't face this issue.

Game Settings

Pitching Interface

Watch top players, and you'll see almost all of them use Pinpoint Pitching, with the occasional exception using Pure Analog. The problem with Pure Analog is that when your pitcher's confidence drops, the pitching meter disappears, and you'll also need to learn how to use a mound visit to restore it - too complicated for beginners. It's really not difficult to learn Pinpoint Pitching. Finish one Conquest map, and you'll basically have the feel for it.

Pitching Ball Marker

Pitch Trail shows the ball's full path from the pitcher's release point to the intended landing spot. Some players prefer Chevron (the small arrow symbols), but it may not give you a 1:1 sense of the ball's actual trajectory as it crosses the plate - you're almost guessing.

Fixed Pitch Location

This is a new feature in this year's edition. When turned off, the aiming reticle automatically snaps back to the center after each pitch; when turned on, it stays where you left it. If you're an experienced player and don't like this change, you can turn it off.

Pitcher Delivery

When grinding games offline, you can set this to Stretch Only, which speeds up the pace of play.

Pinpoint Pitching

Pinpoint Pitching isn't unique to MLB 26; it existed in previous games. First, you need to select the pitch type and landing point. Then, using the right analog stick, carefully trace the unique trajectory of each pitch type.

When you choose a pitch, the game visually shows you the stick movement you need to replicate - both the speed and the shape. Watch it closely and copy the motion. After completing the movement, return the stick to the center. Wait for the two blue circles at the bottom of the screen to close together - at that exact moment, pull the stick straight down.

Different pitches have different difficulty levels: fastballs, because they're straight, demand tighter precision for a perfect execution; forkballs are harder to throw well, but the accuracy requirement is actually looser. However, the timing of pulling down applies to all pitches.

Also note that right-handed and left-handed pitchers may mirror each other's motions, so some pitch trajectories can be reversed. Pay attention to the pitcher's handedness and follow the on-screen prompts. Head into custom practice and try various pitches repeatedly - you'll quickly get the rhythm of Pinpoint Pitching.

Many players obsess over a perfect angle, but as long as you hit the threshold in each category, every perfect pitch delivers the same result. So Pinpoint Pitching has one drawback, which you can't intentionally miss your spot. In Pure Analog, you can deliberately release late to avoid hanging a breaking ball, but Pinpoint doesn't allow that.

Throwing Balls

Throwing balls is perfectly fine, especially early in the game or early in the count. Use them to test the opponent's swing tendencies. Are there certain locations or pitch types that opponents can't resist swinging at, even when they're clearly out of the zone?

In online games, many players aren't good at consistently identifying balls. So mix in some balls to tempt them into chasing. Especially early in the game, experiment with different spots and pitches to find the zone where the opponent swings and misses most often.

The more strikes you throw, the lower the hitter's batting average. Aim to keep your first-pitch strike rate between 60% and 80%. A first-pitch strike doesn't have to be a called strike; as the game goes on, you can throw a chase ball that gets a swing-and-miss, which also gives you a 0-1 advantage.

Tunneling

Tunneling is making one pitch look like another. You need to know which pitch types are naturally similar:

• 4-seam fastball & forkball: very similar
• 4-seam fastball & cutter: very similar
• 4-seam fastball & slider: moderately similar
• 4-seam fastball & changeup: moderately similar
• Circle changeup: less like a fastball

For example, steal an outside corner strike with a 4-seamer, then follow with a cutter that's a ball - the batter may chase and miss or produce weak contact. Next, attack the inside corner with a sinker. Once the batter starts protecting the inside too much, throw a circle changeup low at waist level. It has a similar motion and spin. The batter will often swing early, rolling the ball over to the first-base or second-base side for a groundout.

You can also use cutters and sliders to make the ball move horizontally from the same initial trajectory - inside against righties, outside against lefties. Tunneling is one of the most important advanced pitching skills, and it works especially well against other human players.

In online matches, PAR limits how effective tunneling can be. Still, even with a knuckle-curve, you can try to make it look like a 4-seamer by placing the pitch at a similar release point and gambling that the batter will swing.

These are some general pitching tips. You'll discover more techniques through practice. But remember: while you're studying the opponent's habits, they're often studying yours as well. So keep varying your approach.

Greetings, Tycoons! The voting has just concluded, and the two gold stickers eligible for trade in the next Golden Blitz have been revealed: River Serenade from Set 22 and Tabloids from Set 21. These two 5-star gold stickers represent perhaps your best opportunity to complete your collection in Posh Pets Album before it comes to a close! Don't miss out!

Therefore, we are here to share everything you need to know about this upcoming Monopoly Go Golden Blitz to help you complete your trades as quickly as possible!

Start Time

Currently, the developers have only released the final voting results and have not yet confirmed the exact start time for the event. However, don't lose heart, we aren't entirely in the dark. 

As you likely already know, the launch of the new album, Monopoly Ever After, on April 8th is now less than ten days away. Based on historical Golden Blitz scheduling patterns, it is highly unlikely that the developers would allow such a long gap between events, especially given that we are nearing the end of the season, a time when nearly every player has an extremely high demand for gold sticker trades.

Consequently, we predict that in addition to this upcoming Golden Blitz, there will probably be one more event released before Posh Pets season concludes. Considering the typical spacing between these events, we estimate that this specific Monopoly Go Golden Blitz will take place from April 2nd to April 3rd. This timing creates a gap of approximately six days between the preceding and succeeding events, aligning perfectly with the standard update schedule.

Of course, this is based entirely on our speculation; however, regardless of the exact timing, your top priority right now should be found suitable trading partners and get your stickers ready before the event begins.

Why is finding the right trading partner so important?

You are likely already intimately familiar with how Golden Blitz mechanism works: to trade Golden Stickers, you simply select them within your album, just as you would with standard Monopoly Go stickers, and then initiate a trade or send them to a friend.

The crucial detail is that each Golden Blitz typically lasts for about 24 hours. During this window, you can send a maximum of five gold stickers, a limit that applies in addition to the five standard stickers you are allowed to send daily. Therefore, every single trading opportunity is incredibly precious.

In this context, having a reliable trading partner on hand gives you a distinct and significant advantage. This allows you to acquire exclusive, limited-time gold stickers before the event concludes, thereby helping you complete your entire album and earn dice rolls as well as generous rewards. A trustworthy partner ensures that the trade is secure, fair, and smooth, protecting you from scams and preventing the loss of your valuable stickers.

So, how do you find a like-minded partner? It is generally not advisable to simply select a random person from your in-game friends list. Instead, you should consider joining dedicated trading groups on platforms like Facebook or Discord; within these groups, players post information regarding the specific stickers they are seeking or currently possess. This approach ensures that you can safely complete one-on-one gold sticker swaps before you exhaust your daily trading limit of five exchanges.

How do you request a gold sticker?

Once you have found a suitable partner, you can initiate a sticker trade directly within the game as soon as the event goes live. First, navigate to your album interface and select the specific gold sticker designated for the current event. For this particular event, the tradable stickers are Monopoly GO River Serenade (Set 22) and Tabloids (Set 21).

If one of your friends possesses the card you need, you can select the Ask for Sticker option; alternatively, you can ask them to send the card to you directly using the secure trading feature.

It is absolutely crucial to ensure that the trade is conducted in Secure Mode to prevent fraud. By utilizing this method, you can exchange a gold sticker you currently hold for another specific gold sticker, or for a high-value standard sticker.

Please note that you may send trade requests to up to five different friends simultaneously. However, you can only receive one copy of the requested sticker; if a friend sends you the card, any other pending requests for that same sticker will be automatically cancelled.

How to get gold stickers?

Golden Blitz event period represents your prime opportunity to acquire gold stickers. However, to successfully complete trades, it is essential to possess a sufficient number of gold stickers yourself, after all, by the end of the season, the only remaining gaps in most players' albums tend to be gold cards rather than standard stickers.

The primary method for obtaining gold stickers is by opening high-tier Sticker Packs, specifically Purple or Blue packs. These packs can be earned by completing Quick Wins, winning tournaments, and unlocking milestones within the game. An even easier method is to use a Wild Sticker to directly redeem any specific missing sticker you need to complete your collection. However, the drop rate for Wild Stickers is typically much lower than that of gold cards, so you should avoid redeeming them unless absolutely necessary.

In short, Monopoly GO Posh Pets is drawing to a close. If you want to complete your Sticker Album, win the ultimate grand prize, and get ready for the upcoming Monopoly Ever After Album before time runs out, be sure not to miss this Golden Blitz! Good luck!