We got our first pieces of information on MLB The Show 25 this week, and the departure from the Sets and Seasons approach in Diamond Dynasty was a positive change for most fans.
The next things we’re likely to learn about the game are the release date and cover athlete(s). Based on recent history, the Major League Spring Training schedule, and next year’s series of exhibition parks, it seems likely that March 22 will be the release date for The Show 25.
As it pertains to the cover athlete, I kept it plural because this feels like a year that would make sense for dual cover athletes. Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and New York Yankees great Aaron Judge are coming off historic seasons.
The two players met in the World Series and both figure to be a major focus of the upcoming season. Judge and Ohtani, who won MVP awards for the American and National Leagues, respectively, are both former cover athletes for the game and play for teams in the two biggest markets in the United States.
Don’t be surprised if Sony San Diego goes in this direction for a version of the game that needs to lean into fan-friendly concepts as much as possible.
The Legends Edition last year featured Derek Jeter, which marked the first year The Show had the Captain in the game as a legend. This year’s key Legends addition could be Seattle Mariners great and Japanese pioneer, Ichiro Suzuki.
MLB The Show hasn’t featured Ichiro in the game since his retirement following the 2019 season. The Show 25 would be an excellent year to welcome back one of the greatest hitters in baseball history.
Ichiro is expected to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame with the Class of 2025, so much would appear to align for the transcendent star who helped pave the way for Asian superstars like Ohtani. Ichiro’s contributions to baseball go beyond his on-field achievements, as he remains a cultural icon in Japan and worldwide.
In addition to Ichiro, and in the interest of pleasing fans, it would also be great to see The Show finally add legends like Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, Kirby Puckett, Jose Canseco, Bo Jackson, Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Ty Cobb, and more recent legends to the game.
Bonds, A-Rod, Clemens, Canseco and others remain controversial figures in baseball, but their inclusion as legends in The Show could represent a shift in the series’ approach to the sport’s complex history. We’ve already seen the beginnings of it with Sammy Sosa and Mack McGwire being added to MLB The Show 24.
If these additions and marketing directions are paired with more layers added to franchise mode and Road to the Show—without damaging the best aspect of the title, its gameplay—2025 could be a banner year for the series. Sony San Diego has promised to expand franchise mode in The Show 25, addressing fan complaints from recent editions of the game.
The hope is that the developers provide upgrades that users can feel and appreciate.
