MLB The Show 21 is being well received by fans of the franchise, although the interesting circumstances under which MLB The Show 21 launched certainly wasn't expected. If that wasn't enough of a curveball, the baseball game turns on a specific feature by default. That feature is baserunning, one not new to the series, although for newcomers to MLB The Show 21, it can get a little confusing.
Baserunning essentially gives players control over an entire team, allowing one to set where several baserunners go, or they can control individual players. The feature is far more familiar to veterans of MLB The Show 21, as newer players more or less prefer the AI to handle the job. If not that, the feature has a pretty steep learning curve, meaning that disabling it helps to improve the overall gameplay experience.
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MLB The Show 21 doesn't spend a lot of time teaching players how to rule the bases, although the AI more than makes up for it. While in a match, players should pause and navigate to settings. From there, clicking gameplay will open up a separate settings screen. After cycling through the menus using the left and right bumpers, players will come to one header titled 'batting & baserunning.' Enter the advanced settings by pressing the left or right trigger. Players will then go down to 'baserunning decisions', where they will be given the option to choose 'assist' or 'auto'. Switching it to 'auto' will hand the reigns off the the in-game AI, allowing players to properly get their heads in the game.
Of course, some newcomers to MLB The Show 21 might be more than willing to dive into the longtime feature. Eventually, learning the feature guarantees wins more often than not. The AI can be reliable, but players may find that they trust their hands in the heat of the moment. Baserunning is pretty different depending on whether the player is controlling an entire team or only an individual.
When controlling the whole team, a diagram in the top right corner of the screen reveals all runner positions. MLB The Show 21 players can use the bumpers to decide where their baserunners go. The left bumper commands all runners to advance, and the right has runners retreat to the bases. Additionally, the left stick directs a runner towards a specific base, and X sends the runner to home. When making a sacrifice fly, the left bumper moves only tagged runners.
For single players, it's a far simpler setup. Players instead use the left stick to control whether the runner advances or retreats, pushing up or down respectively. Pressing the left trigger gives a better view of the runner and ball.
This won't turn players into the next Robert Clemente in MLB The Show 21, but it'll definitely make getting ahead a whole lot easier.
MLB The Show 21 is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.