MLB The Show 26: Is 99 Awards Greg Maddux Worth Grinding

The All-Time Teams Program went live in Diamond Dynasty, and 99 Awards Greg Maddux is the first player reward on its path. Requiring only 10 program points, he is one of the quickest free 99 OVR starting pitchers to unlock in the current content drop.

Maddux is a control-focused starter for the Atlanta Braves, featuring 99 Control, 99 Break, 125 Stamina, and a five-pitch arsenal built around the Sinker and Cutter. His card also offers strong defensive ratings and four useful Quirks.

For players building a Braves theme team or looking for another competitive starter, this card deserves attention. Here is a detailed breakdown of his attributes, pitching performance, previous card versions, and the fastest way to unlock him.

99 Awards Greg Maddux Card Details

The new Awards card represents Maddux's outstanding 1994 season with the Atlanta Braves. At age 28, he recorded a 1.56 ERA and won the third of his four consecutive National League Cy Young Awards.

This is a No-Sell reward, meaning players cannot purchase it through the Community Marketplace or sell it after unlocking it.

The standard version is available at 10 points in the All-Time Teams Program. The EXTREME program offers an alternate-art version at the same 10-point checkpoint on its separate reward path.

Both cards have identical ratings, pitches, and Quirks. The difference is limited to the artwork.

Greg Maddux Attributes: Elite Control and Pitch Movement

Maddux is designed for players who prefer precise pitch placement over high-velocity fastballs.

His pitching attributes are particularly strong against both right-handed and left-handed hitters.

The most impressive numbers are his 125 Stamina and 125 BB/9. His 99 Control also makes him a strong option for players who want to attack specific locations without constantly worrying about losing command.

His H/9 ratings are another major advantage. At 119 against right-handed hitters and 125 against left-handed hitters, Maddux can challenge hitters from either side without giving up a significant platoon advantage.

The lower Velocity rating of 81 is his main limitation. He does not have the raw speed of pitchers with 99 mph fastballs, so players need to use movement and speed differences to keep opponents guessing.

Five-Pitch Arsenal: Sinker, Cutter, and Circle Change

Maddux has five pitches, all with 99 Break.

The Sinker and Cutter account for 71% of his listed pitch usage. Their different movement patterns make them the foundation of his pitching strategy.

The Circle Change is his next most-used pitch, coming in at 78 MPH. That creates a 14 mph difference from the Sinker, giving Maddux a useful way to disrupt the timing of hitters who are expecting another fast pitch.

The Curveball and Slider provide additional variation, although their listed usage rates are much lower.

A practical approach is to establish the Sinker and Cutter early, then introduce the Circle Change when opponents begin sitting on faster pitches. Changing locations is just as important as changing pitch types. Repeating the same sequence too frequently makes it easier for experienced Ranked opponents to anticipate the next pitch.

Maddux also has strong defensive attributes, including 97 Fielding and 82 Arm Accuracy. His defensive profile fits a pitcher who won 18 Gold Glove Awards during his MLB career.

Greg Maddux Quirks

The Awards card has four Quirks:

• Road Warrior: Provides an attribute boost in away games.
• Night Player: Provides an attribute boost during night games.
• Pick Off Artist: Improves his ability to pick off baserunners.
• Break Outlier: Gives his breaking pitches more movement than typical.

Break Outlier is particularly useful for a pitcher whose success relies heavily on movement rather than velocity.

One thing players should not expect is Outlier I. Maddux does not have the Quirk that adds 3 MPH to a pitcher's primary fastball. His Sinker therefore remains at 92 MPH.

His four Quirks complement his existing attributes, but they do not turn him into a power pitcher.

How Does Awards Maddux Compare to His Other Cards?

Players who already own a previous Greg Maddux card may wonder whether the new Awards version is worth adding to their rotation.

Among the Jolt, All-Star, and Awards versions, the new card has the strongest pitching profile.

The biggest improvement is against left-handed hitters. His H/9 against lefties increases from 86 on the All-Star version to 125 on the Awards version.

His Sinker also improves, increasing from 91 MPH on the All-Star card to 92 MPH. Its pitch rating rises from 79 to 88.

The Awards version is a clear pitching upgrade over the two earlier cards listed here. The Jolt version may still have value for players using its Captain-related team-building benefits, while the All-Star card has Cubs affiliation.

For a Braves theme team, the new Awards Maddux is the more attractive starting pitcher.

Where Does Maddux Rank Among Other Top Starters?

Maddux's control-focused profile gives him a different role from power pitchers such as Awards Bob Gibson and Milestone Pedro Martinez.

Here is how the three cards compare:

All three have 99 Control, but their pitching styles are quite different.

Gibson and Pedro have a major velocity advantage. Both can reach 99 MPH and have Outlier I, giving them a more traditional power-pitching approach.

Maddux has the advantage in H/9 against both sides of the plate and BB/9. His 125 BB/9 is particularly impressive compared with the other two cards.

Gibson can challenge hitters with a 99 mph four-seam fastball, while Pedro offers another high-velocity option. Maddux relies on movement, location, and speed variation to generate outs.

For players who already have two hard-throwing starters, adding Maddux creates a different challenge for opposing hitters. His 125 Stamina also gives him the ability to handle longer appearances.

How to Unlock 99 Awards Greg Maddux

The standard All-Time Teams Program contains 160 points of rewards, but players only need 10 points to claim Maddux.

The program includes three groups of games:

Each club All-Time Team victory awards four points. The six divisional games provide 25 points in total, with the NL East worth five and the other five divisions worth four each. The three Final Gauntlet victories provide another five points apiece.

This makes Maddux particularly easy to obtain.

Three victories against club All-Time Teams give you 12 points, enough to unlock the 99 Awards card after just nine innings on Veteran difficulty.

These are full games against All-Time Teams, not traditional Moments. Players should also distinguish the program's point rewards from Player XP progression when planning their grind.

Other Standard Program Rewards

Players who continue beyond Maddux can unlock five more 99 OVR cards.

There are also five 10,000 XP rewards at 30, 60, 90, 120, and 140 points, adding up to 50,000 XP.

The 150-point checkpoint provides a No-Sell Weekend Classic Leaderboard Rewind Choice Pack.

Standard All-Time Teams vs. All-Time Teams EXTREME

The EXTREME program follows the same general structure and offers alternate-art versions of the six 99 OVR rewards.

The main difference is the difficulty:

The Extreme Maddux card has the same 99 Control, 125 Stamina, five pitches, and four Quirks as the standard version.

The two programs are connected through the All-Time Teams EXTREME collection in the standard reward path.

Collecting the Extreme variants provides the following standard-program points:

This means completing the entire EXTREME reward path also provides enough collection points to finish the standard program.

Players who want both versions can use this connection to avoid repeating the same progression twice.

If your only goal is Greg Maddux, the standard program is much faster. Three Veteran wins are all you need. Players who are comfortable with Hall of Fame and Legend difficulty and want all six variant cards can work through EXTREME instead.

Double XP Weekend: Extra Progress Toward the 9th Inning Path

The Double XP Weekend began on November 13, alongside the All-Time Teams release.

Every Diamond Dynasty mode earns double XP toward the 9th Inning XP Path during the event, which runs through November 16 at noon Pacific time.

However, Double XP does not multiply All-Time Teams program points. Those points come from game victories and the specified collection bonuses.

Players can still make good use of the event by combining their All-Time Teams games with seasonal XP progression.

Using Maddux in Braves Theme Teams, Ranked, and Events

The All-Time Teams Program offers another attractive Braves reward at the end of its path: 99 Signature Hank Aaron at 160 points.

That gives Braves theme team builders two major additions from the same program. Maddux strengthens the starting rotation, while Aaron fills a right-field position.

In Ranked Seasons, Maddux is best suited to players who understand pitch placement and can change speeds effectively. His 125 BB/9 helps limit walks, while his 125 H/9 against left-handed hitters makes him particularly difficult to approach with a lineup built around left-handed bats.

His 125 Stamina and Break Outlier also support longer starts. However, his relatively low velocity can become a problem against opponents who consistently recognize and time the Sinker.

The Circle Change is one of his most useful tools in those situations. The 14 mph difference from the Sinker gives players a way to disrupt timing without changing pitchers.

In Events, his value depends on the roster restrictions and pitching rules of the specific competition. His high Stamina and strong control make him an attractive option whenever he is eligible.

Community Reaction to the All-Time Teams Program

The Maddux reward has several features that make it attractive to Diamond Dynasty players.

A free 99 OVR starter, no Marketplace purchase required, and only three short games needed for the standard version make this an accessible reward for almost every roster.

His real-life reputation adds another reason for the interest. Maddux's four consecutive Cy Young Awards and 18 Gold Gloves make him one of the most recognizable pitchers in baseball history. For players who prefer improving their roster through the Marketplace, MLB The Show 26 Stubs can also provide another way to pursue different high-rated players.

Repeating franchise All-Time Team games may feel familiar to players who prefer more varied Diamond Dynasty activities.

The EXTREME path also demands 39 victories on Hall of Fame and Legend difficulty. Some players may not consider that workload worthwhile when the alternate cards have the same ratings as the standard versions, especially when MLB The Show 26 Stubs can be used to explore other roster-building options.

Still, the standard program offers a very accessible way to obtain a 99 OVR starting pitcher.

If you have not unlocked Maddux yet, three victories against club All-Time Teams on Veteran difficulty will get you there. The remaining program rewards can then be pursued at your own pace, with Chase Utley, Joe Mauer, Nolan Ryan, Lou Gehrig, and Hank Aaron waiting further down the reward path.

The U4GM Team