Players don’t play baseball to throw regular fly balls and walk to second base. MLB The Show 23 gives players the chance to hit home runs, hit triples, and turn extras into walkouts. It’s these big moments that make the game so memorable.
However, unlike many other instances in the game, there are no button prompts for these moments. MLB The Show 23 does some things automatically, but it usually slides inefficiently and allows the pad to go over the character’s head. Players who live for these moments need to know ahead of time what to do.
slide control
Press and hold L1. Flick the right thumbstick up for an upside-down slide. Flick the right thumbstick down for a foot-first slide. Flick the right thumbstick to the right to aim the right side of the mount. Flick the right thumbstick left to aim the left side of the mount. With the right baserunning setup, even slower players can steal bases if they know how to slide. The AI will automatically choose a slide, but usually this one will aim directly at the bottom without making an effort to avoid labels.
Foot-first swipes are faster, while head-first swipes are better at avoiding tags. Players who want to choose both direction and slide type can flick the right stick to a corner. For example, tilting to the top right will initiate a head-first swipe targeting the bottom right.
dive control
Press R2. Players using the default fielding settings will find R2 diving to catch the ball. This setting can be changed under Settings and Gameplay, then switch to Defense. Another option is that R1 or R2 will dive or jump, and the AI will determine which makes more sense.
It is very wise to use the drift ball settings to see exactly where the ball will land. There’s nothing more embarrassing than guessing where a ball is going to land, diving in and having it bounce five feet away. If the player doesn’t dive, the AI won’t automatically dive; it will make the ball bounce and jump.
jump control
By R1 As mentioned in the previous section, if the player changes the setting, it can also be set to R2. Infielders especially need it on pads that take a hard hit en route to the outfield. Leaping is also important for outfielders trying to grab a home run.
Timing in each of these positions can be tricky, but the announcer is always ballistic when he plays. With high fielding stats, players can jump really high for fantastic reel catches.
MLB The Show 23 is available now for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.