MLB The Show 21 Players That Should Be Diamond

With the MLB season now two months old, this year’s stars are beginning their baseball supernovas. And in MLB The Show 21, the game’s top players shine in its Diamond Dynasty mode, where gamers work to collect special-edition cards in service of building a dominant team of legends. The crown jewels of every The Show user’s collection are Diamond cards, a designation bestowed upon the very best Major Leaguers.

With a variety of ways to obtain Diamond-level cards, and myriad series of cards available, there is no lack of dominant players within Diamond Dynasty. However, there are a handful of major leaguers currently dominating the league that have yet to have their cards join the upper-crust of Diamond Dynasty. Hopefully, this will change soon.

TheShow’s next content update is set to drop this Friday, with new Battle Royale rewards and Team Affinity cards announced on Twitter, and player rating updates to be included. From sluggers, ace pitchers, and generational two-way talents, the following players should be the next to finally add a shiny blue gem to their Live Series cards.

MLB The Show: Angels & Blue Jay Players That Need To Be Diamond

Starting with perhaps the two most obvious candidates for promotion to Diamond status, Vladamir Guerrero, Jr. and Shohei Ohtani are dominating the American League in never-before-seen fashion. Though he started the season with a shockingly low rating in MLB The Show 21, Guerrero currently ranks first in homers, runs batted in, and slugging percentage, while slotting in at second in on-base percentage and third in batting average.

Second to only Guerrero in home runs, and pacing the AL with 29 total extra-base hits, Ohtani is a force at the plate. What sets him apart from every other slugger, however, is his prowess as a pitcher. Although not usable as a starter in Diamond Dynasty, he sports a 2.37 earned run average and over 13 strikeouts-per-nine-innings.

Players may already have a Diamond-level Ohtani or Guerrero in their collections, as 89 and 92-overall versions of the stars were made available as monthly rewards for May. With the month winding down, however, these cards will only be available for purchase on the marketplace (likely for a large sum of The Show‘s stubs). Come Friday, players who have yet to add these cards to their lineup should be hoping to pull a Diamond Ohtani or Guerrero from their packs.

MLB The Show: White Sox & Cub Players That Should Be Diamond

At 34 years old, the typically-solid Lance Lynn is having a career year. Before landing on the injury list in April, the White Sox hurler got off to a red-hot start, striking out 27 batters in his first three starts. Upon his return from the IL, Lynn hasn’t missed a beat.  While not having enough starts to qualify for the leaderboard, Lynn’s 1.51 earned run average would be the lowest among starters in the American League. Lynn may not carry the household name of most Diamond-level players, but ratings in MLB The Show games are based on performance, not reputation. Lynn’s masterful pitching this season should bump him one point to the requisite 85 overall, which would make his Live series card a welcome addition to players’ starting rotations.

As one of the game’s most talented all-around players, Kris Bryant’s lack of Diamond distinction can be traced to his poor performance in 2020’s pandemic-shortened season.  In 2021, however, Bryant has regained the form that made him the National League MVP in 2016. Ranking in the top five among third basemen in batting average and extra-base hits, and sporting the fifth-highest on-base-plus-slugging of all hitters, Bryant’s patented blend of power and patience has returned to Chicago this season. Bryant has been a Diamond-level player throughout most of his career to this point, and his re-found prowess as a batter should elevate him back into the realm of top-tier Diamond Dynasty players. With versatility on defense (he also plays outfield) and elite hitting ability, after Friday, Bryant’s card may become a highly-sought addition to lineups.

These players, as well as a possible few others (namely Jose Abreu and Buster Posey), should see their ratings jump in the new content update for MLB The Show 21. With an adjustment to players’ ratings, as well as new team-specific rewards, Diamond Dynasty players have much to look forward to on Friday.

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