The October 11 update gives you a reason to rethink where your MLB 26 stubs go, and George Springer makes the strongest case among the new hitters. His Diamond Quest card lands in S tier because the bat does the heavy lifting: maxed contact, serious power, and a swing that can punish mistakes. You're not picking him for standout speed or defense. You're picking him because an outfield spot can carry an ordinary glove when the hitting offers this much upside.

Pettitte gets the rotation spot

Andy Pettitte is the pitching addition worth building around. His S tier case starts with control, then gets stronger when you look at how his sinker, cutter, circle change, and 12 to 6 curveball work together. There's room to change speeds without constantly relying on one pitch. Gerrit Cole sits a step below in A tier, with five offerings and strong attributes against lefties. Michael King also has five pitches, including a sweeper, but variety alone doesn't settle the argument. His control leaves him in B tier. For a rotation upgrade, Pettitte looks like the clearest choice.

Useful cards don't need an S beside them

Enrique Hernandez might earn more playing time than his A tier label suggests. Coverage almost everywhere except catcher gives you options when substitutions start getting messy. His swing, vision, and fielding make him more than emergency cover, too. Joe Morgan belongs in that same tier at second base, where his contact, vision, speed, and defense fit neatly together. Third base asks more of his arm. Behind the plate, Ivan Rodriguez offers another A tier choice. His defense improves further with parallels, while his contact and clutch attributes help at the plate. The right handed swing keeps him short of the top group in this ranking.

Pick the supporting pieces for their jobs

Not every spot needs another bat with huge power. Sometimes you need someone who can cover center late in a close game. Michael Harris II and Garrett Mitchell both land in A tier, but their appeal isn't identical. The less convincing infield additions need a closer look before you give them everyday work.

Harris combines speed and fielding with nearly maxed power.
Mitchell offers perfect speed and fielding, with more ordinary hitting.
Ryan Vilade and Manny Machado sit in B tier, though for different reasons.

Keep the bullpen spending selective

Vilade's defense and contact against righties limit his appeal, while Machado's glove can't fully offset his speed and offensive shortcomings. Relief pitching brings fewer reasons to spend. Ray Kerr's slurve and 12 to 6 curve combination looks predictable, leaving him in B tier; Bryan Baker's three pitch selection places him lower. When browsing the MLB The Show 26 marketplace, put those limitations beside your actual roster needs. Springer's bat, Pettitte's command, or Hernandez's flexibility could address a clearer weakness than another marginal bullpen option.