Every year, MLB The Show players eagerly await the arrival of Finest cards—those endgame, elite-tier versions of the league’s standout performers. With MLB The Show 25 Stubs, San Diego Studio once again delivered a content stream that kept fans grinding across programs, mini-seasons, and team affinity tracks. And despite the usual debates about balance, availability, and power creep, this year’s Finest program stands out as one of the most complete, content-rich offerings in recent memory.

From the chase to complete big-name collections—like Cal Raleigh, Fernando Tatis Jr., and more—to the surprising omissions (looking at you, Aaron Judge), MLB The Show 25 gives players plenty to talk about. And after playing through the major programs, testing the captain boosts, and building out a full Finest squad, it’s clear the 2025 cycle delivered on both volume and quality.

This article breaks down everything from collections to gameplay impressions to rotation setups, while also looking ahead to the changes fans hope to see in MLB The Show 26.

A Year of Grinding: Completing the Finest Collection

One of the biggest achievements in MLB The Show 25 is completing the massive year-end Finest collection. For many dedicated grinders, this means:

Finishing all 30 Team Affinity Finest players

Completing the Mini Seasons run for Fernando Tatis Jr.

Unlocking additional players like Ceddanne Rafaela, Yandy Díaz, and Cade Smith

Using exchange routes to obtain the 99 José Altuve from the Live Series Exchange track

And, of course, locking in the big collection reward: Cal Raleigh

For players who put in the hours, the reward is a fully maxed-out endgame roster that competes with any meta build. Cal Raleigh himself is one of the standout rewards, serving as both a power threat and a captain.

But even with all the grinding, one card remains out of reach for many: The 900,000-stub JR card, which continues to be the one glaring omission for players chasing a 100% complete Finest binder.

What Set MLB25’s Finest Apart? A Better Content Spread

One of the most welcome improvements this year was the pacing of content throughout the season. Instead of flooding the game with switch-hitters and lefty/righty meta clones, SDS actually diversified the roster.

Key highlights:

Less switch-hitter oversaturation, a common complaint in years past.

A broader spread of high-value cards across multiple divisions and positions.

Multiple viable captains who changed team-building strategies.

Programs rare olling out consistently rather than dropping all at once.

While not every decision landed perfectly, the community widely agrees that Finest 25 had one of the best year-long content rollouts in the Diamond Dynasty era.

The Big Surprise: Where Is Aaron Judge?

One of the most shocking omissions—at least at the time of recording—was Aaron Judge not receiving a Finest card.

With a season worthy of multiple endgame versions, most expected Judge to headline the Finest class. Instead, players are stuck using his All-Star Judge, which remains the best version in the game until his Finest inevitably arrives.

Most fans expect SDS to drop his card during the final wave of content, but for now, the absence has become one of the community’s biggest talking points.

Captain Boosts: Still Powerful, Still Buggy

Captain boosts define the top Diamond Dynasty lineups, and MLB The Show 25 gave us some truly meta-defining boosts for the endgame.

Cal Raleigh – Tier 3 Catcher Captain

+8 Contact vs R

+8 Contact vs L

+8 Clutch

+8 Vision

A huge boost for balanced hitters, making mid-tier bats suddenly feel elite.

Paul Skenes – Tier 3 Pitching Captain

+8 Power vs R / L (for hitters if used as a hitter captain)

+8 H/9

+8 K/9

Whether using Skenes in the rotation or as a captain, the boost turns rotations into absolute menace squads.

But here’s the catch:

Captain boosts still show inconsistently in the top-left UI.

Players frequently complain that activated boosts don't visually appear, or that captains require filtering just to verify activation. It’s one of those “quality-of-life” issues that really needs fixing in MLB 26.

The Rotation: Strength, Variety, and Lefty Dominance

A great Finest team starts with a great rotation, and this year’s endgame group offers tremendous depth.

The Featured Rotation

Tarik Skubal – SP1

Garrett Crochet

Paul Skenes

Andrew Abbott

Jesús Luzardo

Skubal and Crochet are two of the most electric lefties in the game, while Skenes anchors the rotation with top-tier velocity and break. Abbott and Luzardo serve as flexible options, easily slotted into either the rotation or bullpen depending on the matchup.

Some players may choose Max Fried, but many prefer to keep Fried’s energy for ranked seasons. When every pitch matters, saving elite starters for big games becomes part of the strategy.

The Bullpen: A Balanced Mix of Righties and Lefties

MLB The Show 25’s bullpen meta often favors velocity, deceptive arm slots, and wipeout changeups. This year’s Finest bullpen does not disappoint.

Bullpen Breakdown

Andre Muñoz

Jimmy Herget

Bryan Abreu

Garrett Whitlock

Cade Smith

Aroldis Chapman

Sean Newcomb

Josh Hader

A particularly great story here is Sean Newcomb—once a top prospect and inconsistent starter—now reinvented as a 31-year-old bullpen dog with excellent swing-and-miss stuff.

It's not just a good card; it’s a fun baseball narrative.

The Finest Lineup: Power, Speed, and Clutch Hitting

A complete Finest lineup gives players multiple ways to beat opponents—contact, slugging, situational hitting, or pure power creep.

Starting Lineup

Fernando Tatis Jr.

Kyle Schwarber

Francisco Lindor

Bryce Harper

Cal Raleigh

Nick Kurtz

Junior Caminero

Pete Crow-Armstrong

José Altuve

There’s clear power up and down the lineup, and yes—there’s a little Phillies bias with Harper and Schwarber hitting high in the order. But considering Harper plays like a cheat code and Schwarber destroys fastballs, nobody can blame you.

Notable Highlights

Harper continues to blast no-doubters even on off-center swings.

Pete Crow-Armstrong delivers elite defense and unexpected pop.

Lindor remains one of the smoothest and most reliable all-around shortstops.

Cal Raleigh benefits massively from his captain boost, transforming him into an endgame monster.

This squad isn’t just meta—it’s fun.

Gameplay Moments: Dominant Pitching, Predictable Opponents, and Home Runs for Days

The sample gameplay sessions highlight how well the Finest squad performs in ranked matches.

Scooble starts strong, generating strikeouts with fastballs and changeups.

Harper delivers bombs even when slightly under the ball.

Pitch sequencing becomes key, especially noticing opponents who fall into fastball-only tendencies.

Crow-Armstrong crushes a 441-foot rocket that nails the Rogers Centre target for a “bullseye shot.”

Lindor goes opposite field on a perfectly barreled contact swing.

The gameplay rhythm shows how confidence-building the Finest roster can be. From three straight strikeouts after a leadoff single to forcing rage quits, this team is built to dominate.

The Content Economy: Packs Everywhere

One of the wildest parts of MLB25’s final stretch is the sheer number of free packs handed out.

Players regularly unlock:

50 bundles

Team Affinity packs

Finest packs

Ballin’ packs

Chase packs

You can literally buy the game today and complete major exchanges within hours thanks to these giveaways. It’s generous—and at times, chaotic—but undeniably great for late-cycle players.

Looking Ahead: Hopes for MLB The Show 26

While MLB25 delivered a strong endgame, there’s still room for improvement next year. Some key wishlist items include:

Fixing the captain boost visibility bugs

Better variety in pitcher animations and release points

Improved latency consistency in ranked games

Smarter AI for pinpoint pitching feedback

More dynamic stadium environments and lighting adjustments

A clearer UX for collections and exchange pathways

The groundwork is strong—but refinement could take MLB26 to a whole new level.

Final Thoughts: MLB The Show 25’s Finest Program Delivered

MLB The Show 25 Stubs for sale brought another year of exceptional Finest cards, balanced content pacing, and rewarding grind paths. With a fully built roster and captain boosts activated, the endgame squad feels powerful, diverse, and fun across every mode.

There were surprises—like Judge not making the initial Finest list—and a few technical issues, especially with captain boosts not displaying correctly. But despite those shortcomings, Finest 25 remains one of the strongest late-season content drops in franchise history.

With MLB26 on the horizon, players can only hope SDS builds on what worked this year, cleans up the rough edges, and continues delivering a Diamond Dynasty experience fans can grind through proudly.

Until then, it's time to enjoy those free packs, fire up Ranked Seasons, and continue smashing home runs with your star-studded endgame squad.