MLB The Show 26 reaches 99 Hank Aaron at 160 All-Time Teams points, and the most reliable route is 30 franchise games for 120 points followed by the nine All-Star games for 40 more. If you need MLB The Show 26 Stubs for lineup upgrades, plan those resources around the All-Star difficulty jump.

1 How Many Points Does Each MLB The Show 26 Route Provide

You need all 30 franchise games plus the nine higher-difficulty games to reach 160 points without using Extreme variants. Each franchise team gives 4 points, producing 120 points from three-inning Veteran games.

The remaining 40 points come from six Divisional All-Time teams worth 25 points together, followed by the All-Time AL, All-Time NL and All-Time MLB teams at 5 points each. The reward path places Greg Maddux at 10 points, Chase Utley at 40, Joe Mauer at 70, Nolan Ryan at 100, Lou Gehrig at 130 and Hank Aaron at 160.

Those milestones make the early route valuable even before Aaron. The first 120 points provide four legends, while the later games are required for Gehrig, the 150-point Weekend Classic Leaderboard Choice and Aaron.

2 Which MLB The Show 26 Games Should You Play First

Play the 30 franchise games first when you want the safest progression route, then use the rewards to prepare for the All-Star gauntlet. The franchise games are shorter and use Veteran difficulty, while the Divisional and league games are fixed at All-Star difficulty.

Each 10,000 XP reward appears at 30, 60, 90, 120 and 140 points, adding 50,000 XP to the active XP path during the Double XP period. That makes the franchise block useful for both the All-Time Teams program and the wider XP track.

Follow this order to keep the difficulty increase manageable.

1) Complete the 30 franchise games and confirm the program total reaches 120 points.

2) Set your strongest three-inning lineup, opening starter and closer before entering the six Divisional games.

3) Finish the All-Time AL, All-Time NL and All-Time MLB games, then claim the 160-point Hank Aaron reward.

3 Are Extreme Variants Worth Using for the 160-Point Path

Extreme variants are optional because the standard route reaches 160 points without them. Collecting the Extreme Greg Maddux variant adds 10 points, while the Extreme versions of Utley, Mauer, Ryan, Gehrig and Aaron add 30 points each.

The Extreme cards use the same attributes as the standard versions, so their practical value here is the collection bonus and alternate appearance. Choose that route only when you can handle Hall of Fame and Legend games without sacrificing too much time or repeated attempts.

◆ One collected Extreme variant can reduce the number of All-Star games needed for the standard reward path.

◆ The standard program remains the better resource choice when the goal is simply reaching Hank Aaron with predictable difficulty.

◆ The Extreme route becomes more useful when you already want those variants for their appearance or need a flexible substitute for several All-Star games.

4 How Should You Prepare for the All-Star Games in MLB The Show 26

Use your strongest contact-oriented lineup and prioritize reliable at-bats against high-velocity pitching. These games play like short challenge scenarios, so cards used in them do not earn progress toward their own player programs and there is no benefit to rotating weaker cards through the lineup.

Place your best available starter first because every game lasts three innings. Keep pinch-hitters available for the late innings and use a dependable closer, since one large inning often has more impact than bullpen depth in this format.

The earned legends also help with roster construction. Maddux provides a control-focused starter, Ryan supplies power pitching, Mauer fills catcher, Utley covers second base, and Gehrig and Aaron strengthen the middle of the order. The 150-point choice is no-sell and includes Bobby Witt Jr., Jimmy Rollins, Babe Ruth and All-Star Game Jacob Misiorowski, so select based on the position or rotation gap that remains after the program rewards.

Which Option Should Players Choose

Choose the standard 30-game route followed by the nine All-Star games if Hank Aaron is the only priority, because it reaches 160 points without Extreme difficulty. Choose Extreme variants only when their collection points, appearance or replacement value justify the higher difficulty, and review MLB The Show 26 Stubs for sale before starting the All-Star games.