If you’re trying to get the most out of your pitching in MLB The Show 26, one important strategy is learning how to pitch to weak contact. The goal here is simple: induce weak hits—those that don’t have much power behind them and are easy to handle. But to do this consistently, you need to know how the game’s mechanics work in practice. Here’s a breakdown of how to pitch to weak contact, so you can get more outs and avoid giving up big hits.
Weak contact in MLB The Show 26 occurs when a batter hits the ball with poor timing, bad positioning, or both. You’ll notice that the ball doesn’t travel as far, and the contact doesn’t produce as much power. In real-life baseball, this happens when a batter gets jammed or swings too late or early.
In-game, weak contact is often characterized by ground balls, pop-ups, or weak line drives that are easier to field or turn into outs. The key to inducing weak contact is controlling the batter’s timing and pitch placement.
Setting up weak contact is mostly about mixing up pitch types and location. Batters tend to make weak contact when they’re off balance, so your job is to keep them guessing. Here are a few tips:
Use off-speed pitches effectively: Off-speed pitches like changeups and curveballs can mess with a batter’s timing. When thrown in the right spots, they can get batters out in front, resulting in weak contact. Don’t just throw them down the middle. Work on placing them at the edges of the strike zone or even below it, where it’s hard to square them up.
Keep the batter guessing: A good pitcher mixes up pitch speeds and locations. If you throw a few fastballs high and inside, for example, and then follow that up with a changeup low and away, the batter will have a harder time adjusting. Even if the batter is able to make contact, they might get jammed or make poor contact.
Target the corners: Most batters don’t want to chase pitches on the edges of the strike zone. By consistently hitting the corners with your fastball or breaking pitches, you can get batters to reach or pull the ball weakly.
Change the height: Pitching low in the zone can lead to ground balls, while high pitches tend to result in weak pop-ups. Adjust your pitch height to take advantage of the batter’s weaknesses. For example, if you’re facing a batter who’s a bit too eager to swing, try throwing high fastballs or curveballs to get them to chase and make weak contact.
In MLB The Show 26, certain pitches are more likely to result in weak contact than others. Here’s a quick rundown of the best pitches for inducing weak contact:
Changeup: This pitch is great for getting batters out in front, especially when thrown with good timing and location. Batters will often swing too early and make weak contact, especially if you’ve been setting them up with fastballs.
Curveball: A good curveball can make batters look foolish if they’re expecting a fastball. When thrown in the right spot (usually low and outside), it can lead to soft contact and weak ground balls or pop-ups.
Slider: A slider that breaks away from a batter’s swing can force weak contact, especially when thrown low in the strike zone. It can also get batters to pull the ball, which is often weaker contact.
Sinker: The sinker is another great pitch for weak contact, particularly when trying to get ground balls. If you aim it low in the zone, batters will often make contact with the bottom half of the ball, leading to weak grounders.
Fastball (in specific situations): While the fastball is typically a pitch that batters can get solid contact on, it’s useful in certain scenarios. A well-placed fastball on the inside corner or up and in can jam a batter, forcing them to make weak contact.
Inducing weak contact isn’t just about throwing the right pitches—it’s also about understanding when and how to throw them. Here are a few pitching strategies to keep in mind:
Work the batter’s weaknesses: If you know a batter struggles with breaking pitches or has a tendency to swing at pitches outside the strike zone, use that to your advantage. Try to get them chasing pitches out of the zone or pull them off balance with an off-speed pitch.
Change speeds frequently: Batters are most likely to make weak contact when they can’t time your pitches properly. By changing speeds consistently, you’ll make it harder for them to adjust, leading to weak hits.
Use pitch tunneling: Pitch tunneling involves throwing different pitches that look the same out of the pitcher’s hand but end up in different locations. This messes with the batter’s timing and can result in weak contact. For example, a fastball that starts in the same spot as a curveball or slider can create confusion for the batter.
Keep the batter off balance: Don’t let the batter settle into a rhythm. Throw a variety of pitches in different locations, and avoid being predictable. If you throw three fastballs in a row, they might start sitting on the fastball. Instead, mix it up.
Even experienced players can fall into certain traps when trying to get weak contact. Here are a few common mistakes to watch out for:
Overusing off-speed pitches: While off-speed pitches are great for inducing weak contact, you can’t throw them too often or batters will catch on. Use them strategically and don’t fall into a pattern.
Being too predictable: If you throw the same pitch in the same spot repeatedly, batters will start to figure you out. Make sure you mix up your pitch types, locations, and timing.
Getting too cute: Sometimes it’s tempting to try to throw a perfect pitch, but that can backfire. Don’t be afraid to throw strikes and let the batter make the mistake. You want weak contact, not a walk.
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Mastering the art of pitching to weak contact in MLB The Show 26 is all about keeping batters off balance. By mixing up your pitches, hitting your spots, and understanding when and where to throw, you can turn potential hits into routine outs. Keep practicing and refining your approach, and you’ll soon be able to consistently induce weak contact and dominate the mound.