MLB The Show 25 (8 Free Players For Franchise): Can They Bring You Victory?
Posted: Mar 07, 2025 Views: 270
Selecting players, building a team, matching and defeating opponents - all of this should be the main process of playing MLB The Show 25 in most cases. Although the game has launched various modes to enrich your experience, you cannot skip these steps as long as you plan to play as a “team manager”.
As you can see, if you want to win in MLB 25, the choice of players is very important. Although new players and those who don’t intend to invest energy on developing tactics will be accustomed to directly choosing Top/Legendary players, we must say that this is not the wisest choice, at least not in Franchise mode - in fact, you can make MLB 25 Stubs originally intended to exchange for top players to get items that can really improve the team lineup.
There are many free players in the recent Franchise mode. They have been treated coldly in real life due to injuries and other reasons, and the player cards in the game have been downgraded to free, but this does not mean that their card strength has declined. If you are careful enough, you will find that some of them may be able to make up for the shortcomings of your team. Based on this, we will recommend 8 such players for you.
1. J.D. Martinez (DH)
You may think that Martinez’s era is over because his average score dropped to .235 and 16 home runs in 2024, but based on his still high on-base percentage of 0.370, you can definitely choose him as a reliable backup for your team. As a true professional hitter, Martinez can not only hit key RBIs but also provide guidance to other inexperienced hitters, allowing your team to complete effective offense even in a difficult season.
2. Anthony Rizzo (1B)
Hitting 22 home runs and ranking 15th among first basemen in last season may be the main reason why Rizzo became a free agent, but his 10.5% walk rate reflects his excellent patience, which somewhat makes up for his current shortcomings.
Rizzo’s cautious defensive attitude and rich experience in dealing with errant pitches can bring amazing improvements to your infield defense in the late game. If you plan to turn on the automatic mode in the simulation schedule, he can definitely provide you with the most stable victory.
3. Kyle Gibson (SP)
Although Gibson is already a veteran, his performance is not inferior to some young players. Last season, he not only pitched 169.2 innings in 30 starts but also got a 47.1% ground ball rate-enough to make him bring a wonderful performance to your team in Franchise mode.
In fact, in Franchise team mode, Gibson’s reliability allows him to not only prevent his fellow veteran teammates from being exhausted in the simulation schedule, but also provide room for growth for inexperienced newcomers, thus building a good bridge within your team.
4. David Robertson (RP)
Another excellent veteran player! It turns out that we can’t easily judge the ability of players based on whether they are at their best age. In the past 2024, Robertson has thrown 99 strikeouts in 72 innings, with an ERA of 3.00. His excellent curveball and high .178 expected batting average are enough to defeat most hostile hitters. Even if his fastball velocity decreases, it can’t stop him from being invincible on the field.
In addition, MLB 25’s mechanism of rewarding pitchers with high strikeout rates also makes Robertson an indispensable free player choice in Franchise mode. He can appear from the sixth to the ninth inning to fill any bullpen role in your team.
5. Phil Maton (RP)
Whether it is the four-seam ball with strong rotation that beat right-handed hitters with an ERA of 3.66 in 2024, or the performance of 60 strikeouts in 64 innings, it is enough to prove that Mato is fully worthy of being a reliever in your team. More importantly, the game mechanism of MLB The Show 25 that favors high-rotation pitchers makes Marton’s performance in the game better than in the real world. Combined with his status as a free player, he can be said to be one of the best choices for you to play Franchise mode.
6. José Iglesias (SS/2B)
In his pitching in September and October last year, Iglesias once again shocked the fans who were not optimistic about him with an average of .371. Although 4 home runs and 137 OPS+ reflect his shortcomings in offense, the average of .337 throughout the season and the diversity of defense are enough to make up for it.
If you plan to choose this player as a defensive substitute, pinch runner and temporary starter in MLB 25, he will bring you surprising home runs and contact skills, allowing your team to play better in the late game.
7. Lance Lynn (SP)
While his real-life performance may make you worry that Lynn may be about to take a significant step back, his current 22.7% strikeout rate makes him viable, especially in short outings, where he can still make full use of his speed.
In addition, if your team needs rotation stability and innings consuming, Lynn is also a solid choice. And his club activities and popularity make him a move before the trade deadline, giving your team more flexibility in season scheduling.
8. José Urquidy (SP)
This player previously underwent Tommy John surgery due to a common baseball player injury, causing him to miss the entire 2024 season. Although his performance on the field before his absence was not particularly surprising, MLB 25’s injury recovery algorithm usually improves the performance of pitchers after simulated recovery, so it would be a good choice to choose Urquidy in the game at this time.
The above are the possible wonderful performances of the 8 free players we recommend to you. If you think any of them match your game style, please choose him in Franchise mode!
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