My Favorite Baseball Team Can Make Me Love MLB The Show, Or Absolutely Hate It

June 20, 2026 - 23:44

For me, playing MLB The Show is never a neutral experience. It all comes down to one thing: how the Pittsburgh Pirates are performing in real life. When the team is winning, the game feels like an extension of a good day. I can sit down, grind through a season, and actually enjoy building a roster that mirrors the real club's success. Every home run from a virtual version of a player I watch on TV feels earned. The graphics look sharper, the pitching feels smoother, and the losses don't sting as much.

But when the Pirates are losing ten games in a row, the game becomes a chore. I cannot separate the digital simulation from the real-world frustration. If the actual team can't hit a fastball, why would I want to watch a digital version of them strike out? The menus feel slow. The commentary gets annoying. Even a walk-off win in the video game feels hollow because I know the real team is stuck in last place. It is strange how a video game can be so tied to the emotional rollercoaster of a baseball season. For me, the Pirates are the only thing that decides whether I am having fun or throwing my controller.