Is CPU pitching different in 2025?
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As the new inning dropped without a conquest or miniseason I haven't spent much time in it this week But I still have the itch to play so I decided to spend some time in 2023, specifically to look at the CPU pitching.
Currently in 2025 I play on veteran, with directional on, but when I play vs CPU I only use x, because I like to let the stats matter more. So effectively timing.
So I used the same settings in 2023. For cards I am using 90-92 Topps Now cards. Playing in conquest, where much of my 2025 time is.
I am hitting for a significantly better average in 2023, and I am reminded why I used to play on all star as a default.
Now its not a HUGE sample size (25 games or so), but its enough. And probably there will be some bias in this, even if its not intentional
In 2023:
-pitches are in the middle column of the plate far more often. Less outside/inside strikes. this is by far the most impactful difference
-I haven't walked once because there is always a hittable pitch by the time ball 4 rolls around (though If I took strikes I assume walking would be possible). Ive certainly been plunked though.
-In fact, I've rarely had to swing at a 3rd strike I would have preferred to take
-While pitches on the black still happen, its less common for sure
-The CPU does not seem to throw sinkers up and in 2023. It does in 2025. but maybe thats pitcher dependent
-The CPU will happily throw changes below the plate, and pitches below the plate in general, with frequency. This hasnt changed.
-Sliders tend to be near the edges much less frequently. The low and away slider in particular, while still thrown, misses by a LOT more
-The CPU will still try to jam you inside, but seems to rely on the outside edge a LOT lessSome other notes:
-I have won every game so far, and never needed extra innings
-Pitching is, if anything, even easier.
-I dont think contact quality is all that different, there are just more pitches in the sweet spot
-There are, however, a lot more infield hits to the SS because they usually have momentum before doing the jump throw, which has less zip in 2023
-Outfielders are of course all Willie Mays caliber
-Limited sample size, but getting a runner home from 3rd with less than 2 outs is far more consistent, less groundballs right into the infielders playing in. But this is because you aren't forced to swing at as much low [censored].So in summary, I feel the CPU pitching in 2025, at least on veteran, is way tougher than 2023. I think the difference is that 2025 is designed more to simulate online play (pitches on black (particularly outside), sinkers middle or high, sliders low and away just off the zone
Is veteran hard? Of course not, the CPU sucks [censored] at the plate, and I would suspect zone will be significantly less impacted than timing as the dots aren't as much of an issue for zone on that low of a difficulty setting. But if you prefer timing there is a very noticeable difference.
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My typical conquest at bat this year starts with two on the black strikes, followed by 3 straight balls, then a hittable pitch that is a good/good or perf/perf out straight at a defender
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In my opinion the pitchers dot more early in the count, especially with breaking balls. I feel like I am rarely ahead in the count so patience is not really rewarded because you are then forced to swing at pitches you would not normally swing at.
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The CPU pitching is completely bizarre this year. Each at bat you'll get a mix of pitches spot on the gray called strikes 90% of the time, wildly wide balls out of the zone, and 1 maybe 2 pitches you can hit. The entire game this year took a turn towards arcade rather than sports sim.
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I still feel like they punish contact in the first or second pitch of the at bat. I usually have better contact (according to SDS) after the forth pitch of an at bat.
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@mubby_33_PSN said in Is CPU pitching different in 2025?:
I still feel like they punish contact in the first or second pitch of the at bat. I usually have better contact (according to SDS) after the forth pitch of an at bat.
Honestly, I have felt that way for years.
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Interesting observations. This is my first year playing The Show since I sold my PS4 but I definitely feel the pain of the bizarre Rookie & Veteran pitching 'logic'. Rookie tends to follow a script of starting the at-bat with 2 very uncompetitive pitches way outside the zone, then usually the 3rd pitch will be near the middle square. This gets tedious in 9 inning games and I end up chasing a lot of early garbage pitches because I just want to get through the game quicker.
My experience with Veteran pitching is mostly from Moments but its so strange to me how I almost never see balls thrown outside the zone (and if they do they are just barely outside the zone). Easily 95% of pitches are strikes that are thrown just inside the lines. NEVER a meatball right down the middle like you periodically see on Rookie. There is no reward for patience on Veteran, its just a test of how fast and accurately can you jam the PCI to the edge of the zone while swinging with proper timing.
I kind of like the reward for being patient in Rookie (don't swing at the first 2 garbage pitches and if you're in a 2-0 count, we will give you a juicy meatball to hit) even though I fall victim to impatience quite a bit
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I'm finding, and I'm playing on AS vs CPU mind you (also where I end up in Ranked), that early in the count they essentially couldn't hit the strikezone if it were sand and they were falling off a camel...then they suddenly become Greg Maddux dotting EVERYTHING. That being said I draw WAY more walks this year as I've realized two strike counts aren't something to be worried about
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It comes down to dev incompetence. Effective, every cpu pitcher in the game pitches the exact same regardless of attributes or difficulty level (meaning control attributes, obviously pitch speeds/breaks differ). In the past, pitchers on rookie/veteran would throw lots of meatballs (especially low control ones) and it was almost impossible to to walk. This year, every pitcher dots (or misses wildly) regardless of control or difficulty level. As an example, I’ve had the walks legacy done for over a month predominantly playing veteran games in mini seasons/conquest/dq.
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@GradektheBard_PSN said in Is CPU pitching different in 2025?:
It comes down to dev incompetence. Effective, every cpu pitcher in the game pitches the exact same regardless of attributes or difficulty level (meaning control attributes, obviously pitch speeds/breaks differ). In the past, pitchers on rookie/veteran would throw lots of meatballs (especially low control ones) and it was almost impossible to to walk. This year, every pitcher dots (or misses wildly) regardless of control or difficulty level. As an example, I’ve had the walks legacy done for over a month predominantly playing veteran games in mini seasons/conquest/dq.
I agree with this, except for the dev incompetence. This is an intentional change. But the game is a lot less fun for me because of it, other people may have differing opinions.
I think 2024 was dev incompetence, with the 'very late' release thing.
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@DodgerMatt93_NSW said in Is CPU pitching different in 2025?:
My experience with Veteran pitching is mostly from Moments but its so strange to me how I almost never see balls thrown outside the zone (and if they do they are just barely outside the zone). Easily 95% of pitches are strikes that are thrown just inside the lines. NEVER a meatball right down the middle like you periodically see on Rookie. There is no reward for patience on Veteran, its just a test of how fast and accurately can you jam the PCI to the edge of the zone while swinging with proper timing.
Moment pitching is different. One example is ball 4 is FAR less frequent in moments (as it should be)
