Another month has come and gone, meaning the 3rd Inning XP Path in MLB The Show 25 is officially over, marking the beginning of the 4th Inning XP reward path. And trust me, there’s some juicy stuff in here.
Overall, the 4th Inning XP Path promises players 6 new top-tier cards, including Cornerstone Evolutions, Bosses, and a one-off Milestone Series card. Let’s dive in and take a peek at what Diamond Dynasty players can earn simply by playing the game and accruing XP points in the 4th Inning!
MLB The Show 25 4th Inning XP Path Guide
Cornerstone Evolutions
First up are the Cornerstone Evolution cards. As usual, they start with a base-level card that eventually can lead to a higher-rated version of said card should you complete a set of moments and stat missions. For the 4th Inning, the Cornerstone Evolutions cards are relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel, center fielder Eric Davis, and second baseman Marcus Semien.
Kimbrel is the wildcard in this situation, as his card has been very hit-or-miss over the years. This version has a 4-seam, knuckle-curve, and sinker pitch mix. Unusually, his knuckle-curve has an outlier on it, so who knows how it will actually play.
Semien and Davis are both solid options at center field and second base, respectively, especially if you haven’t completed the Live Series collection or have a god squad. However, said god squads might not be flexible enough to fit in either player.
At the end of the day, Davis and Semien are both good cards and will absolutely rake for many. Whether or not you’ll have the space to slide them in remains to be seen.
Bosses And Rewards
Onto the XP Boss pack, and the 4th Inning program starts to look extremely juicy.
First up is Derek Jeter, and he’s every bit as good as one could hope. Though his fielding and speed aren’t ideal for a shortstop, the Captain’s bat is juiced beyond belief, boasting high contact against both righties and lefties, and even some good pop as well. With 80 Vision and 120 Clutch, he’ll be an animal at the plate.
Speaking of “pop”, first baseman Hank Greenberg has all of that and more. The Detroit Tiger great has 100+ power, 90+ contact, and 95 clutch, making him the prototypical cleanup hitter. His fielding and speed aren’t anything to write home about, but he’s a first baseman, so it’ll hardly be a factor.
Last but not least, we’ve got the first great Nolan Ryan card of the year. Equipped with the signature outlier fastball and 100+ marks in H/9, K/9, and pitching clutch, this Nolan card will be viable. The only thing that sticks out to me as being bad is his 55 BB/9, which means he’ll struggle with control. Also, he’s an easy card to sit fastball on, meaning some top players will chase him out early. But should your strategy be sound, he’ll play at all levels.
Also included in the 4th Inning XP Path is slugging lefty Adam Dunn. Capable of playing in either left field or at first base, Dunn is a specialist against righty pitchers, boasting 98 contact and max power against them. He’s not as effective against lefties, but the 79 contact and 91 contact — combined with 92 clutch — should be viable.
Dunn is one of my favorites in Battle Royale, as anything he squares up has the chance to leave the park. A Diamond version of him should be no different. The option to play him at first base and not in the outfield is a huge plus as well.
XP Reward Path Main Rewards
- 7,500 XP — Cornerstone Evolution Pack
- 27,500 XP — Cornerstone Evolution Pack
- 70,000 XP — Cornerstone Evolution Pack
- 135,000 XP — 93-rated Adam Dunn
- 185,000 XP — Deluxe Choice Pack
- 235,000 XP — 4th Inning Boss Pack
- 312,000 XP — Deluxe Choice Pack
- 400,000 XP — 4th Inning Boss Pack
- 420,000 XP — Crescent Moon Pack
- 440,000 XP — Pipeline Past Deluxe Pack
