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What's interesting is this got more replies to "wrong forum" than when I posted detailed content regarding a major issue with franchise mode.

@VF1S_Rick_Hunter_PSN said:

I wonder if anyone has tracked whether the CPU automatically rules out pitchers that start the game under a certain energy level. This could explain, as maybe Abreu is last man in the bullpen that day. Otherwise seems like a bug...thanks for submitting either way.

For Senga, I can understand continuing to roll with a starter that is having an awesome game.

They had two men sitting on the bench in the bullpen but the issue is the apparent removal of the penalty for pitchers with low stamina for CPU pitchers. Abreu has 20's stamina. Senga has 70's stamina. Neither should show that many innings or pitches.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBKf2zDUDAk

@VF1S_Rick_Hunter_PSN said:

I'm one who said the game was too easy. Even with self imposed limits for # of trades, only trading for players that realistically should be on the block, trading away good talent in return (not 3 C prospects), auto-scouting, and a lower than allowed team budget, I was able to win 7 championships with the Angels in 23 seasons. And I'm only playing on manager mode, so I'm not even manipulating the game with my ability to work the controller.

As for trading, my issue previously was rebuilding teams were acquiring rental players and not doing enough to move their own rental players, while playoff teams were moving their franchise players that were under good team control. The trade block hadn't been "up" during spring training, which I know has been fixed. CPU teams were only trading one player for 1-3 players; no multi-player for multi-player trades, which I also believe has been fixed.

Had to shelve MLBTS26 right after starting, so one month into 2026 didn't give me enough time for judgment. Hope to get back to it next month.

Were you simming and adjusting sliders?

I originally posted this and couldn't delete it but I'll repost it. I use manage mode. Manage mode is CPU vs CPU. No user input. Therefore for those who use the controller I don't know if this exists but it does exist for the CPU. Default sliders.

About 10 years ago the developers instituted an attribute penalty when stamina reaches 25%. The penalty increases as the pitcher approaches 0 stamina.

The first two videos show a relief pitcher Bryan Abreu with 23 stamina who threw 8 shutout innings and 115 pitches. He was at 0 energy for most of that. On the player card it is referred to as stamina. In the game it is referred to as ENG - energy just above CFD - confidence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBKf2zDUDAk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWtkja1hj0A

I recorded the next two videos today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsCeZslStJw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWtkja1hj0A

125 pitches. complete game shutout. He was at zero energy in the 7th inning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDacpULBNXw

His confidence is maxxed out.

I could post a dozen videos like this. I'm not sure if they removed or altered the stamina/energy penalty or if confidence is overriding the low stamina but this is a major change in MLBTS26. It's also possible this is part of the stated desire to make franchise mode more difficult for the user. I'm also not sure if it only impacts the CPU team because I don't use the controller to play the game. In manage mode both teams are CPU. Whatever the cause this is unrealistic. Bug report submitted.

This was the original topic.

@GilesT7787_XBL said:

Why can't we trade like normal games? I want to have feedback so I know what is a good trade. I'm trying to have fun and this system isn't it.

If you watch the franchise promo video the developer said every franchise player she talked to said the game was too easy so they implemented "fog of war".

I agree it's a mess.

@UncleRico420266_XBL said:

So I found out that the reason so many coaches and managers are missing from MLB The Show 26 is because the MLBPA (the players' union) officially cut off their licensing program in late 2024.
Before this change, coaches and managers were part of a "group license" handled by the union. They used to get annual checks—roughly $50,000 each—just to have their names and faces in the game. However, due to tax and legal issues, the union stopped those payments and ended the group deal.
MLB The Show 25 (last year) was likely safe because the contracts for that game were signed and locked in before the cutoff. But for MLB The Show 26, the developers (Sony/SDS) no longer had a "one-stop shop" to buy everyone's rights. Since they’d now have to negotiate with hundreds of coaches individually, they simply replaced about half the league with generic, fake models instead.
Also the reason you still see guys like Stephen Vogt, Kevin Cash, and Terry Francona is that they are former players. Sony likely already owns their rights through separate "Legend" or retired player contracts, so they can keep them in the game easily. But for others like Aaron Boone, if a separate individual deal isn't reached, they get swapped out for a generic placeholder. I hope this makes sense and clears the confusion.

Perhaps not having to pay $50,000 each to the coaches has allowed them to hire more developers. I started with a Cardinals relocated franchise and the first thing I did was fire all the coaches.

@TheRupster12_XBL said:

Stuck in the bullpen...and you can't get out of it

At the moment.

In manage mode this just happened to me. Several years ago this bug existed in manage mode and they finally patched it. There was a workaround but I can't remember what it was.

I'm looking in settings and don't see it. It appears to me pitcher confidence is overriding loss of stamina and allowing pitchers to continue to pitch deeper into games.

@genopolanco_PSN said:

@alstl04_PSN

I don’t think you realize how many 5’7 top 100 prospects this game generates

With only 7 draft picks a year the game does a poor job of generating enough good prospects to populate the game with a sustainable franchise long term.

IRL the players' height declined due to ABS. The measured them with shoes and ballcaps off.

We'll see if this gets fixed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWtkja1hj0A

Pitcher with 23 stamina threw 115 pitchers and 8 shutout innings. No attribute decline for stamina at zero.

@Graeves-_PSN said:

Their feedback suggested being too easy was an issue for a significant amount of those questioned in that survey couple years back. Give it time, you'll get used to it soon enough and it will be too easy once again.

Perhaps but with only 3 scouts I never was able to draft more than 3 or 4 scouted players. Why make it worse?

@hornetswin_PSN said:

You can get an instant trade if you control all 30 teams and switch over to the team you're offering the trade to. Once you do, just push accept.

Not the same as it was.

I wouldn't mind it if there was a counter offer or some communication but this is strange.

Now if you scout pitchers for a region instead of 15% you get 10%. Why would they do this to customers who pay $75 to purchase their franchise? Of what benefit is it to give the CPU teams an advantage over franchise owners?

This is the best version of the game in franchise. Gameplay is better but I don't understand the "fog of war". It's as if someone talked them into sabotaging their own game.

I play every game during the regular season unless and until I'm eliminated from the playoffs.

@StinkyMcPooter_XBL said:

@alstl04_PSN

We're on Xbox.

This will be a good test since you're on PS5: Go to your roster (it doesn't matter which). Scroll down the list very fast. Then, before the player model can show, start scrolling again or hit the player card button.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6cZoHm6bcE

Something like this? I have seen no crashes in menus or games.

What platform? I haven't seen it on PS5.

I've been playing this game in manage mode for a very long time. This is the best gameplay I've seen.

The fog of war stuff I don't see a need for but the gameplay is fantastic. Congratulations to the developers.