MLB The Show 23 Pitching Controls Guide, Tips to Get More Strikeouts

Before you dive into the latest edition of the franchise, this MLB The Show 23 pitching controls guide is the perfect refresher for both franchise veterans and rookies. While little has changed from last year’s pitching mechanics, it never hurts to be extra prepared.

Whether you’ve been standing by the meter interface for years or are trying to master pinpoint pitching, the tips and tricks in this MLB The Show 23 pitching guide will help keep your ERA as low as possible. Make sure you’ve got every tool possible before diving into one of this year’s many game modes.

In this guide, you will learn: 

• The complete MLB The Show 23 pitching controls
• Every pitching interface and which ones are best 
• Tips and tricks to help you dominate on the mound

MLB The Show 23 pitching controls guide, choosing your interface and settings

For longtime players of the franchise, chances are your MLB The Show 23 pitching controls may be decided before you even start playing the game. Like they’ve done in recent years, the MLB The Show 23 pitching interfaces include all of the stalwarts that were available last year. Veterans will quickly notice that little has changed from the MLB The Show 22 pitching controls, but the first big step for new players will be finding the interface that’s best for you.

If this is your first foray into the series after several years, make sure to spend some time on the tutorials as things get started. If you’ve jumped through them or need to spend more time testing things out, the Options Explorer and Custom Practice are absolute musts. Spending some time in the Options Explorer will give you better looks at how the different pitching interfaces operate and how your input accuracy will affect each pitch.

There are five different pitching interfaces in MLB The Show 23 for you to choose from. Classic is the simplest and easiest to use pitching interface, as you simply pick a general location for the ball and let player ratings and odds do most of the work for you. This can see some success on lower difficulties, but you’re unlikely to stay competitive and will definitely be scored on if you stick to Classic. 

The next best option is using the Meter, Pure Analog, or Pulse pitching interfaces. While their input style can feel very different, they all offer the same value of allowing better input to improve your pitching. All of these are viable options to stay competitive even on higher difficulties if you practice and master the input style.

Lastly, the most difficult but ultimately most advantageous interface is Pinpoint Pitching. Coming into only its third year as an interface, Pinpoint challenges players to trace a specific design with exact timing. The fact that the timing and design itself vary wildly depending on the type of pitch you’re using can make it an absolute nightmare to master. But if you can master Pinpoint Pitching, it allows truly unparalleled accuracy.

Once you’ve decided on an interface, it’s good to then spend some extra time in Custom Practice. Make sure you’re accustomed to the input style, but also spend that time figuring out the camera view that’s right for you. When you feel comfortable with your pitcher settings and options, spend some time familiarizing yourself with all of the MLB The Show 23 pitching controls.

MLB The Show 23 pitching controls on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

The complete MLB The Show 23 pitching controls on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S are listed below with the applicable interface in parentheses. Any controls without an interface listed apply to all interfaces.

• Press A, B, Y, X, or RB – Select Pitch
• Move Left Stick – Select Pitch Location
• Press A (Classic and Pulse) – Release Pitch 
• Press A (Meter) – First press begins the pitch, press again to stop cursor and release the pitch, yellow area of the meter provides higher accuracy and red part of the meter provides higher velocity 
• Move Right Stick (Pinpoint) – Trace the given design, better tracing makes more accurate and higher velocity pitches 
• Right Stick Down (Pure Analog) – Begin pitch and wait for cursor to reach the yellow line
• Right Stick Up (Pure Analog) – Release pitch, timing with yellow line influences velocity and accuracy, direction stick is pointing left or right of targeted location when pushed up will influence lateral pitch placement as well 
• Press LB + B – Intentional Walk 
• Press LB + A – Pitch Out 
• Press RT – Display Catcher’s Pitch Call / Pitch History
• Hold LT – Look at runner
• Press LT + A – Slide Step with runners on base
• Press LT + B – Pickoff to 1st Base
• Press LT + Y – Pickoff to 2nd Base
• Press LT + X – Pickoff to 3rd Base
• Hold LT + B, X, or Y – Deceptive Pickoff, same base buttons as standard pickoff
• Press LB – Step Off Mound
• Press D-Pad Up – Open Quick Menu
• Press D-Pad Down – Open Quick Shifts to adjust defensive positioning 
• Press D-Pad Left – Open Statcast to view pitching and batting breakdowns 
• Press D-Pad Right – View Player Card, attributes, and quirks for pitcher and hitter
• Press Right Stick – View Defensive Positioning and Ratings, only available before selecting pitch type
• Move Right Stick – Control the camera when viewing Defensive Positioning and Ratings

MLB The Show 23 pitching controls on PS4 and PS5

The complete MLB The Show 23 pitching controls on PS4 and PS5 are listed below with the applicable interface in parentheses. Any controls without an interface listed apply to all interfaces.

• Press X, Circle, Triangle, Square, or R1 – Select Pitch
• Move Left Stick – Select Pitch Location
• Press X (Classic and Pulse) – Release Pitch 
• Press X (Meter) – First press begins the pitch, press again to stop cursor and release the pitch, yellow area of the meter provides higher accuracy and red part of the meter provides higher velocity 
• Move Right Stick (Pinpoint) – Trace the given design, better tracing makes more accurate and higher velocity pitches 
• Right Stick Down (Pure Analog) – Begin pitch and wait for cursor to reach the yellow line
• Right Stick Up (Pure Analog) – Release pitch, timing with yellow line influences velocity and accuracy, direction stick is pointing left or right of targeted location when pushed up will influence lateral pitch placement as well 
• Press L1 + Circle – Intentional Walk 
• Press L1 + X – Pitch Out 
• Press R2 – Display Catcher’s Pitch Call / Pitch History
• Hold L2 – Look at runner
• Press L2 + X – Slide Step with runners on base
• Press L2 + Circle – Pickoff to 1st Base
• Press L2 + Triangle – Pickoff to 2nd Base
• Press L2 + Square – Pickoff to 3rd Base
• Hold L2 + Circle, Square, or Triangle – Deceptive Pickoff, same base buttons as standard pickoff
• Press L1 – Step Off Mound
• Press D-Pad Up – Open Quick Menu
• Press D-Pad Down – Open Quick Shifts to adjust defensive positioning 
• Press D-Pad Left – Open Statcast to view pitching and batting breakdowns 
• Press D-Pad Right – View Player Card, attributes, and quirks for pitcher and hitter
• Press R3 – View Defensive Positioning and Ratings, only available before selecting pitch type
• Move Right Stick – Control the camera when viewing Defensive Positioning and Ratings

MLB The Show 23 pitching tips and tricks to get more strikeouts

Now that you know how the MLB The Show 23 pitching controls work and which interface and settings are best for you, it’s time to really start fine-tuning your skills on the mound. If you do happen to wind up with runners on base, that’s the time to start changing things up with pickoffs to keep them from stealing their way towards scoring position. 

While only a fraction of your pickoff attempts are likely to end up with a quick out, keeping pressure on runners will make them think twice about stealing a base or even leading off a few extra steps while preparing to run. Every pitcher can have success with pickoffs, but left-handed pitchers (particularly those with the Pickoff Artist quirk) are more likely to snag the quick out. 

If you want to maximize your potential impact with your custom Ballplayer in Road to the Show or Diamond Dynasty, choosing a unique pitching motion can also be a big help. While quick options like that of Josh Hader and others can be powerful when you’ve got some rhythm, you can also shake things up with an extra unique submarine or sidearm style pitching motion. 

Some of the players with this particularly difficult-to-follow pitching motions include Adam Cimber, Tyler Rogers, Steve Cishek, Ryan Thompson, Justin Lawrence, Joe Smith, Darren O’Day, and Tim Hill. On top of that, the generic motions that fit this style are Generic Windup 6, Generic Windup 7, Generic Windup 65, Generic Windup 103, and Generic Stretch 5. Don’t be afraid to simplify your pitching motion if using any of these proves too distracting or difficult for your own pitching input. 

Finally, the best thing to do in MLB The Show 23 while on the mound is follow some of the same rules that real-life pitchers do. Try not to use the same type of pitch, speed of pitch, or location too frequently. Aim just outside the zone if you’re ahead in the count, and carefully try to dot the corners and edges if you’re behind in the count. 

Every pitcher in the game is different but with the tips and tricks in this MLB The Show 23 pitching controls guide, you’ll have a foundation that’ll work across the board. Find what works for you, practice as much as you can, and you’ll be pitching shutouts and no-hitters in no time.