Pitching is the best way to stop opponents from scoring runs. No matter how inconsistent you are at the plate in MLB The Show 21, you’ll never lose if your opponent can’t make solid contact.

There’s more to strikeouts than simply stats. Play at your own pace, understand every pitch, and keep opponents guessing for the best results. Practice takes time. Learn how to improve, then win more games with almost any pitcher.

Pick an interface and get comfortable

You can choose between different pitching interfaces, camera views, and other features to guide you. On-screen tips like Pitch Confidence and Pitch Feedback are wonderful ways to see where you may have gone wrong and can improve.

Pitch Confidence fills up the circle surrounding the pitch type at selection. More fill means more effective pitches in terms of accuracy, speed, or movement depending on the pitch. Pitch Feedback appears after every pitch. It shows where the ball crossed the plate, the speed, and what kind of contact, if any, the batter made.

You can change the camera view to see over your pitcher’s shoulder, behind the plate, and more. The interface is at the center of these customizations.

There are five pitching interfaces:

• Pinpoint Pitching: This popular interface is brand new to MLB The Show 21. Top players call it the “Most Accurate Way to Pitch.” Each pitch requires a different drawn path via the analog stick. You need to draw the path, then bring the stick down to the accuracy circle when the ball releases for the best possible version of that pitch.
• Meter: The Meter interface has been the default setting in MLB The Show for years. It is fairly straightforward. Select your pitch and where you’d like to aim on the plate. Next, hit the button that correlates to the pitch. The bar will run up the meter. After that, press the button again at the end of the meter to determine the pitch speed. Finally, press it one last time before the yellow bar. This determines the pitch’s accuracy.
• Pulse: Pulse is less based on meter timing and more based on visual timing. Select a pitch and its location like normal, then you’ll notice the pulsing circle around the ball. The goal is to press the button when the circle is at its smallest. A bigger circle could mean a wild pitch or a location where it can be easily hammered.
• Pure Analog: The Pure Analog interface requires a steady hand. Like the other interfaces, you select a pitch and where you’d like to throw it. The rest is different. Pull down on the Right Stick to begin your wind up, then flick the Right Stick up at the yellow bar and aim at the circle on the plate for perfect accuracy. The faster you move the Right Stick up, the harder the pitch will be thrown.
• Classic: Classic pitching comes from older baseball games. All you have to do is select a pitch and choose where you’d like that pitch to go. The game takes over from there. It factors in the pitcher’s skill ratings to decide accuracy and power.

Pinpoint, Pulse, and Meter are the most commonly used interfaces for their additional control. Pinpoint is still the best option in MLB The Show 21. The name says it all as it provides pinpoint accuracy. It takes a lot of practice to master compared to the others. Pick one, get comfortable, and find success with that interface. Your best option might even differ from the rest of the community based on personal preference.

Learn your pitchers’ strengths

If you have an ace in Diamond Dynasty or are starting as a pitcher in Road to the Show, it is important to learn that pitcher’s strengths. The best players understand which pitches to favor depending on the pitcher.

Every pitcher’s stats are like a guide. If a pitcher has a Curveball, but their Break stat is low, don’t rely on that breaking ball. If they have a low Stamina stat, do not expect them to pitch the entire game in a shutout. It’s possible to excel outside of their dominant stats. However, you’ll have to rely more on exposing hitter habits and less on the player's abilities.

Understand the different types of pitches

There are plenty of pitches to choose from in MLB The Show 21. If you are using a real life player, they will have a preset arsenal. There are 19 total pitches in the game. Each pitcher’s arsenal includes a variety of the following:

• 4-Seam Fastball
• 2-Seam Fastball
• Cutter
• Running Fastball
• Sinker
• Splitter
• Slider
• Changeup
• Circle Change
• Vulcan Change
• Palm Ball
• Fork Ball
• 12-6 Curveball
• Curveball
• Sweeping Curveball
• Screwball
• Knuckleball
• Knuckle Curve
• Slurve

You may never see a Fork Ball or Palm Ball in your entire MLB The Show career. Others, such as the 4-Seam Fastball and Changeup, will appear quite frequently. If you select a pitcher with a rarely seen repertoire, you will certainly catch less experienced players off guard.

The best pitch in MLB The Show 21 is the slider. A good slider can make a hitter miss and swing themselves off their feet. Its tricky movement will have hitters racking their brain about whether it was used as a set up for a Fastball or if another is coming to the plate.

Learn how every pitch moves to get a better idea of which options will catch your opponent looking for strike three.

Keep them guessing

Don’t throw three straight Fastballs high and away. Stay away from pattern pitching. If you attack each hitter with the same pitch to open the at bat, they are going to catch on and get more hits.

Keep them guessing with a variety of pitch types, speeds, and locations. Throw a few off the plate. There is nothing wrong with a couple of balls or even walks if you can get back on track with the next batter.

Don’t be afraid to slow things down

If you want to keep your pitcher in for as many innings as possible, don’t drain them with all 100 MPH pitches. This will take their stamina down fast and force a trip to your bullpen. Then you’ll have to get into the groove with a brand new pitcher.

If you let up a few hits or runs, take a deep breath and put it behind you. Trick batters with a Fastball followed by a Changeup. Changeups are your best friend when you want to prolong a pitcher’s outing.

Send the ball over to first base a few times if a runner is standing there. Step off of the mound or call a visit from your Pitching Coach. These are all ways to cool down a hot streak from a hitter and get your head back in the game.

Take the mound in the MLB The Show 21 Fall Circuit

Use these tips to strike out the side, force double plays, and keep the runs at a minimum in the MLB The Show 21 Fall Circuit. The grand prize is 1,050,000 Stubs and $15,000.