If you’re diving into MLB The Show 25 and aiming to build a formidable Diamond Dynasty squad without spending real money, you’re in good company. Many players are exploring efficient, no-money-spent (NMS) strategies to accumulate Stubs quickly and legitimately. Drawing from community insights and personal experience, here’s a comprehensive guide to help you maximize your Stub earnings.
1. Card Flipping in the Marketplace (Most Consistent Method)
One of the most reliable and risk-free ways to earn MLB The Show 25 stubs quickly is by flipping cards on the Community Market. This means buying cards at low prices and reselling them for a profit.
How to do it effectively:
- Start Small: Begin with bronze or silver player cards, especially ones that are commonly used in daily missions or have good real-life stats. These tend to have frequent buy/sell activity.
- Look for Spread: Use filters to find cards with a decent gap between the lowest sell order and the highest buy order. For example, if a card is being bought for 400 Stubs and sold for 700, you could profit around 230 Stubs after the 10% transaction fee.
- Reinvest Constantly: Don’t let your Stubs sit idle. Reinvest your profits into more flips or larger-value cards (like gold players or popular equipment) as your balance grows.
There are even third-party tools like ShowZone that track current prices and help identify profitable flips in real-time.
2. Mini Seasons & Diamond Quest (High-Reward Single Player Modes)
These offline or low-pressure game modes provide excellent opportunities to grind rewards without needing to face online competition.
Mini Seasons Tips:
- Each season consists of a short set of games against AI teams. By completing games and season objectives (like hitting 10 home runs or striking out 20 batters), you unlock packs, Stubs, and special cards.
- Some objectives are repeatable, meaning you can farm them for steady rewards. Focus on those with simple stat goals that align with your playstyle.
Diamond Quest Tips:
- This solo challenge mode allows you to build a team and complete tiered objectives. The higher the difficulty you choose, the better the reward—ranging from Stubs and XP to rare player cards.
- You can reset or rerun quests to farm repeatable challenges. Many players find this to be one of the most efficient solo methods for consistent Stubs income, especially early in the game cycle.
3. Investing in Live Series Cards (Timing-Based Profit Strategy)
This method revolves around predicting which MLB players will receive upgrades in the game and buying their cards before their value increases.
How it works:
- Keep up with real-life MLB performances—if a silver player is on a hot streak, chances are their card might be upgraded to gold or higher in the next roster update.
- Buy their cards in bulk while prices are low. Once the player is upgraded, their card price often spikes significantly (sometimes by 2–5x), allowing you to sell for big profit.
- This method requires a bit of research and patience, but it’s one of the most rewarding ways to make passive income in MLB The Show.
Pro tip: Check Friday roster update trends and community predictions on Reddit or Discord to get a head start on the market.
4. Grind Conquest and Programs (Reward-Packed Content for Every Player)
Conquest Mode is a strategy-based, turn-by-turn game mode where you simulate a season on a board-like map. It’s packed with hidden rewards that can lead to a surprising amount of free Stubs.
How to maximize Conquest:
- Capture Territories Efficiently: Each map has hidden packs and Stubs rewards tied to specific tiles. By checking community guides, you can see which tiles to prioritize.
- Complete Goals for Bonuses: Each Conquest map has its own set of objectives—things like stealing fans, winning strongholds, or completing the map within a certain number of turns. Completing these grants you XP, packs, and Stubs.
- Repeat Older Maps: Even older Conquest maps from past Programs can still offer great value if they’re still available. Don’t skip them just because they’re not new.
Programs are time-limited events where you progress by completing tasks, moments, missions, and collections.
- Daily & Weekly Tasks: These are typically easy and can be completed in under 15 minutes, offering decent XP and Stubs.
- Feature Programs: These include major milestones and “Boss” cards. Even if you don’t complete the whole Program, progressing halfway can net you packs and quick Stub gains.
- Parallel Missions: Play with specific players to earn extra XP and complete mission objectives tied to Programs.
By consistently grinding Conquest maps and Programs, even casual players can build up a healthy supply of Stubs without needing to flip the market or play online.
5. Efficient Pack Management & Smart Inventory Use
Many players overlook the value that’s already sitting in their inventory. Managing your packs and unused cards wisely is a silent but effective way to boost your Stub count.
Best practices for pack management:
- Sell Dupes Immediately: If you pull duplicate player cards, equipment, or perks, list them on the market right away. Even bronze or common cards can sell for more than their quick-sell value if there’s demand.
- Compare Before You Sell: Always check the current buy/sell orders on the market. Sometimes a card’s quick sell value is 100, but you could easily sell it for 250–300 Stubs manually.
- Don’t Hoard Unused Cards: If a player doesn’t fit your lineup or isn’t part of a collection you’re chasing, there’s no reason to keep them—turn them into Stubs and invest in cards you actually use.
Bonus Tip: If you open a pack and don’t like the contents, don’t quick sell immediately—check the market first. Equipment cards, sponsorships, and stadiums can sometimes be more valuable than expected due to scarcity or missions.
6. Use the MLB The Show Companion App (Stub Flipping on the Go)
Many players underestimate the value of the Companion App, but it’s one of the most powerful tools for staying ahead in the Stub economy—especially if you’re short on playtime.
Here’s how to take advantage of the app:
- Monitor Prices in Real-Time: Market trends shift fast, especially after roster updates, content drops, or flash sales. The app lets you watch card values and react immediately, even if you’re away from your console.
- Instant Buy/Sell Orders: You can place and cancel buy/sell orders directly through the app. This makes flipping cards during breaks or commutes a practical and profitable habit.
- Manage Inventory: Quickly view your card collection and sell extras when market prices are high—no need to wait until you’re back at your console.
Pro Tip: Use the app during peak hours (e.g., evenings or Friday roster updates) when prices fluctuate the most. Quick reactions can lead to big Stub gains.
7. Complete Collections Strategically (Not Always About Finishing Them)
While completing full collections can unlock top-tier cards, you don’t always need to finish everything to profit. There’s value in the process itself.
Smart collection strategies:
- Sell Into Hype: When a collection reward is announced (e.g., a 99 OVR Legend), the value of cards needed for that collection often spikes. If you’ve already been holding those cards, you can sell them for huge profits instead of locking them in.
- Partial Progress: Sometimes completing a subset of a collection (like a team set or a division) grants decent packs, XP, or even Stub rewards. These can be more profitable than the full set, especially early in the game cycle.
- Monitor Event Cards: Limited-time cards released through events or BR (Battle Royale) can be required in future collections. Grab them early when prices are low and flip when demand rises.
Advanced Tip: If a new collection is coming (as hinted by the dev team or leakers), buy up underused but required cards in advance. When demand hits, you’re ready to sell at 2x–3x profit.
8. Focus on Ranked Seasons Rewards (Long-Term Stubs and Card Value)
If you’re comfortable playing online, Ranked Seasons can be a goldmine for long-term Stub income—especially if you’re skilled enough to consistently hit certain win thresholds.
How to make Ranked Seasons work for you:
- Reward Tiers Pay Well: Even reaching mid-tier ranks can earn you packs containing cards worth thousands of Stubs. At higher ranks (like Division Series and above), you can pull high-tier cards that sell for 20K+.
- Sell Rewards Immediately: Many players hold onto their Ranked rewards, but market prices are usually highest right after rewards are released. Selling right away can often double your profit compared to waiting.
- Grind Early, Relax Later: If you can hit your target rank early in the season, you’ll earn your packs while most players are still climbing, giving you an edge in timing the market.
Tip: Even if you don’t love competitive play, pushing to a minimum reward rank can be worth the time investment for the Stubs alone.
9. Take Advantage of Limited-Time Events and Flash Sales (Stub Multipliers)
Every so often, SDS (San Diego Studio) runs limited-time content drops, flash sales, or bonus Stub events that savvy players can exploit for quick profit.
Why these matter:
- Flash Sales: These time-limited marketplace deals (like discounted packs) cause price volatility. Some cards crash in value temporarily—if you buy during the dip and sell after the market stabilizes, you can make easy Stubs.
- Double Stub Weekends: During some events (e.g., All-Star or postseason content), certain modes may offer double Stubs. Grind those modes as much as possible during these short windows.
- Event Missions: Special events often have missions tied to them, like hitting 10 home runs with a specific team. Completing these unlocks packs or event-specific cards that are only available for a limited time—making them valuable trade assets.
- Login Bonuses: Occasionally, simply logging in daily can give you free packs, cards, or Stubs during promotional weeks.
Pro Tip: Follow MLB The Show’s Twitter and community Discords so you don’t miss sudden sales or time-sensitive events. Getting in early often means beating the price spikes or crashes.
10. Master Showdown Mode for Repeatable, Skill-Based Stub Farming
Showdown is a single-player, challenge-based mode where you build a team from drafted players and complete short missions or boss battles. It’s fast-paced and highly rewarding for players who enjoy clutch scenarios.
How Showdown helps you earn Stubs:
- Efficient Stub Farming: Completing a full Showdown run can yield 1,000+ Stubs, XP, and useful Program progress in under 30 minutes. For skilled players, it’s one of the most efficient uses of time.
- Draft Smart: When building your team, prioritize power hitters and clutch relievers—Showdown challenges often involve scoring in limited innings or holding a lead.
- Skip to the Boss (Advanced Strategy): If you’re confident in your skills, some players skip early challenges and go directly to the final boss to save time. While risky, beating the boss yields full rewards.
- Replayability: Showdowns are repeatable. Once you find one that suits your playstyle, you can farm it several times a day for consistent gains.
Extra Tip: Showdowns tied to active Programs often count toward parallel missions and XP paths, meaning you’re earning Stubs and making Program progress at the same time.
Stack Smart, Play Steady
Earning free Stubs in MLB The Show 25 doesn’t require exploits, glitches, or spending real money—just a bit of strategy, consistency, and timing. Whether you prefer flipping cards on the market, grinding offline modes like Showdown and Conquest, or investing smartly in Live Series cards, there’s a legit method for every type of player.
The key is to focus on repeatable value, stay updated on in-game events, and make the most of your time by combining tasks—like earning Program XP while completing Showdown or Mini Seasons. Stick with these methods, and over time, you’ll have the Stubs to build a stacked Diamond Dynasty team without spending a dime.
