Do THIS Before the 2nd Inning XP Program Drops in MLB The Show 26

Every year, without fail, the same thing happens. The 2nd Inning Program drops, the community collectively loses its mind over the new cards, and half the player base realizes — too late — that they left a mountain of XP, stubs, and packs sitting unclaimed in the 1st Inning path. I've watched it happen in The Show 24. I watched it happen in 25. And right now, with the 1st Inning XP Path set to expire April 10, 2026, it's about to happen all over again.

So let's not do that this time. Here's everything you need to knock out before the 2nd Inning Program arrives — and why each step actually matters for your long-term Diamond Dynasty build.

First, Understand What's Actually at Stake

The 1st Inning XP Path isn't just a tutorial reward track. It's a 115,595 stubs worth of total value packed into 40 reward path steps, and most players haven't scratched the surface of it.

The reward track includes:

That 90 OVR choice pack alone is worth grinding for. Acuña Jr. or Murakami — either one slots into a competitive lineup immediately.

The 8 Tasks You Need to Complete Right Now

The 1st Inning XP Path has 8 trackable missions, and here's the honest truth: most of them are faster than they look. Here's a breakdown of each task, and the reason you should prioritize it in this specific order:

1. Collect 2 Items (+1,000 XP)
Start here because it costs you nothing. Grab two cards from the marketplace — even cheap commons work. Done in 60 seconds.

2. Win 1 Mini Seasons Game (+2,500 XP)
Mini Seasons is the mode you should be living in right now anyway (more on that below). One win checks this box while you're already grinding.

3. Get 10 Hits in Diamond Quest (+3,500 XP)
Diamond Quest hits count fast, especially if you're running a contact-heavy lineup. Don't overthink the mode selection — just get in and swing.

4. Pitch 9 Innings in Ranked/Ranked Co-Op (+5,000 XP)
This one takes the most clock time, but 5,000 XP for nine innings across multiple games is an excellent rate. If you hate Ranked, Co-Op is a legitimate alternative.

5. Get 5 Home Runs in Events (+5,000 XP)
This is where the Homer Haven stadium trick becomes essential — more on that in the next section.

6. Earn 2,000 PXP in Battle Royale (+5,000 XP)
Battle Royale PXP accumulates even in losses. Don't skip this one just because you're not confident in the mode.

7. Exchange 150,000 Points (+1,000 XP)
Lower XP reward, but if you're sitting on excess exchange points from Team Affinity, this is free progress.

8. Gameplay XP (Passive)
This runs in the background across everything else. Just play the game.

The Homer Haven Stadium Trick — A Reproducible Method

This is the one I keep coming back to, because it works every single time and the results are consistent enough to plan around.

Creator GomesDaLegend built a custom stadium called Homer Haven — searchable by username in Stadium Creator — with fences sitting at roughly 270 feet to the foul poles. That's not a typo. It's barely longer than a Little League field.

Here's the reproducible test: load into a Mini Seasons game using Homer Haven, run a lineup stacked with power hitters, and you'll hit your 5 Events home runs and advance Team Affinity missions simultaneously. In three-inning Mini Season runs — which can be completed in under 15 minutes — you're stacking XP path progress, program points, and pack rewards in a single session.

I ran this method across four sessions and averaged roughly 8,000–10,000 XP per hour. That's not a guarantee, but it's a realistic benchmark for planning your grind before April 10.

Stack Programs

Here's the thing that separates players who finish the 1st Inning path from players who don't: program stacking. Playing one mode for one objective at a time is the slowest possible approach.

The efficient loop looks like this:

1. Fill your lineup with same-team players → advances Team Affinity while you play
2. Play Mini Seasons → earns gameplay XP, hits, home run missions simultaneously
3. Complete WBC Moments → direct XP injections of 3,500–5,000 per mission
4. Finish Ranked 1 and Multiplayer 1 feeder programs → these feed XP boosts directly into the 1st Inning path

The WBC Showdown in particular is worth calling out. Completing it provides significant early-game XP and cards that can be used for further mission progress. If you collect all three WBC bosses — earning two and purchasing the third with Stubs — you unlock a 30,000 XP voucher that carries over into the 2nd Inning Program. That's not a rumor; that's confirmed by the community tracking data.

Don't Forget Your Now & Later Rewards

If you played MLB The Show 25 and completed the Now & Later program, your earned vouchers automatically provide up to 12 additional packs and a Carlos Beltrán player item in MLB The Show 26.

This is free value that a surprising number of returning players haven't claimed. Check your inbox in Diamond Dynasty before you do anything else. Seriously — open the game right now and look. Those packs could contain cards worth flipping on the marketplace for immediate stub income.

Known Bug: XP Path Disappearing from Quick Menu

A quick but important note: multiple players have reported the 1st Inning XP Path appearing to vanish from the quick menu. It hasn't actually disappeared.

The fix: Exit Diamond Dynasty completely, re-enter, and navigate directly to the Programs menu. Your progress is saved. This is a display bug, not a data loss issue — but it's caused more than a few panicked Reddit posts, so consider yourself warned.

The Stub Economy Right Now — And How to Play It Smart

Before the 2nd Inning Program drops, the marketplace is in a predictable state: 1st Inning cards are at or near their floor prices, because everyone knows they're about to be replaced by newer, higher-rated content.

This creates two opportunities:

- Buy low now on WBC cards you need for missions — prices won't get much cheaper
- Hold your packs if you're close to finishing the path — opening them after the 2nd Inning drop means potentially pulling higher-value cards from refreshed pack pools

For players who want to skip the early grind entirely and jump straight into competitive Diamond Dynasty, [U4GM.com](https://www.u4gm.com) is a reliable option to buy MLB The Show 26 Stubs quickly and safely. Whether you're trying to snag that third WBC boss for the 30,000 XP voucher or flip cards on the marketplace before the 2nd Inning meta shifts, having a stub buffer going into the new program is a genuine competitive advantage.

1st Inning Completion Priority at a Glance

The Real Reason This Matters Beyond April 10

I want to be direct about something, because I think it gets lost in the hype cycle around new program drops.

The 1st Inning path isn't just about the cards you earn. It's about the foundation you build. The stubs from the reward track fund your 2nd Inning purchases. The WBC cards from the boss packs give you trade fodder or lineup depth. The 30,000 XP voucher gives you a head start on the next path before most players have even loaded in.

Every hour you spend efficiently in the 1st Inning path is an hour that compounds into the 2nd Inning. That's the experience chain that separates Diamond Dynasty veterans from players who are always one step behind the meta.

The clock is ticking. April 10 isn't far away. Get in there.