In MLB The Show 25, bullpen construction is more important than ever—especially in Diamond Dynasty and Franchise Mode, where managing stamina and matchup efficiency Cheap mlb 25 stubscan determine the outcome of games. One advanced tactic that more players are embracing involves building bullpens that feature a mix of conventional and unconventional pitchers—specifically, sidearm and submarine specialists.

Why Sidearm and Submarine Pitchers Matter

Sidearm and submarine pitchers add contrast to your bullpen. Most hitters in The Show get used to standard deliveries over time. Breaking that rhythm with a pitcher who throws from a completely different angle can be disruptive and frustrating for your opponent, especially if they’re timing-dependent hitters. For example, Tyler Rogers’ submarine delivery creates slower pitch velocity but an exaggerated downward and horizontal break that throws off a hitter’s timing significantly.

When deployed correctly, these pitchers can serve a few different roles:

Matchup specialists: Bring them in to face specific hitters with poor splits against righties.

Inning disruptors: Use them to stop rallies or confuse batters after a high-velocity starter.

Closer surprises: While not common, some users successfully deploy a sidearm pitcher like Adam Ottavino as a closer due to their deceptiveness.

Ideal Pitchers to Consider

To maximize your bullpen’s effectiveness with this strategy, consider these pitchers and their core strengths:

Tyler Rogers – Perhaps the most exaggerated submarine delivery in the game. His sinker-slider combo is excellent against ground-ball hitters. He’s not a strikeout machine but gets lots of soft contact.

Adam Cimber – A pure ground-ball pitcher with good control. Ideal for quick outs and double-play scenarios.

John Schreiber – A high-strikeout, sidearm reliever with an excellent fastball-slider mix.

Tim Hill – A rare left-handed sidearm option. Extremely useful against left-handed batters, especially in clutch situations.

Adam Kolarek – Another lefty sidearmer with a low release and high ground-ball rate. Limited pitch arsenal but very situationally effective.

Building the Bullpen

A competitive bullpen utilizing this style might look like this:

Long Reliever: Traditional overhand pitcher with high stamina and pitch variety.

Middle Relief 1: Sidearm RHP like John Schreiber.

Middle Relief 2: LHP sidearm such as Tim Hill or Kolarek.

Setup 1: High-velocity righty for contrast (e.g., Jhoan Duran or Jordan Hicks).

Setup 2: Tyler Rogers or Adam Cimber.

Closer: Traditional fireballer OR deceptive sidearm pitcher like Ottavino for surprise effect.

The key here is not to overload your bullpen with sidearmers but to strategically place them to disrupt flow. Pairing them with more traditional arms ensures your opponent is always adjusting to different timing and movement profiles.

Tactical Usage

Timing is everything. Submarine and sidearm pitchers should be brought in when:

You’re ahead and want to induce weak contact.

Your opponent is stringing together line drives and you need to break the rhythm.

You face batters with low power/contact against right-handed movement.

Avoid using these pitchers:

Against power-heavy lineups that excel at low pitches.

In extra innings with ghost runners unless you're confident in ground-ball outs.

Conclusion

Using sidearm and submarine pitchers effectively in MLB The Show 25 is about strategic diversity. These pitchers offer a different look, can induce weak contact, and are underutilized by many players. By learning their strengths and weaknesses and integrating them into your bullpen plan, you can turn overlooked arms into game-winning weapons. In competitive play, variety is your ally—and no pitching style delivers more disruption than a perfectly placed submarine sinker in the 8th inning.