With 99 OVR Spooky J.R. Richard in MLB The Show 26, the main mistake is treating elite velocity as a complete plan. His four-seamer, slider, cutter, and sinker offer different looks, but you still need to read swings and choose locations with intent. If you are weighing MLB 26 stubs against other roster priorities, first ask whether you enjoy building at-bats around a fastball rather than relying on ratings alone.
Use the four-seamer to read the hitter
Start near an edge, then change sides so the hitter cannot settle on one lane. A fastball near the top can test whether the batter is ready for velocity, but missing over the heart of the plate gives away the advantage. If you cannot reach the high target reliably, choose a safer edge instead of forcing a perfect corner.
You do not need to chase a called strike with every first pitch. An early fastball in a competitive area can reveal the hitter's timing without locking you into a sequence. If the swing is late, keep the fastball in play; if contact is firm, change the location or the next pitch's movement. Let the response guide your choice instead of repeating a preset opener.
Make the slider change the timing picture
After showing a fastball, use the slider to give the hitter a different speed and path. A high heater followed by a slider toward the lower outside corner creates separation between the two looks. Against a right-handed batter, that target can move the pitch away from the barrel, but keep it near enough to the zone to make a swing seem worthwhile.
Watch whether the hitter offers at borderline sliders or lets them pass. If they keep taking pitches that finish well below the zone, stop trying to earn a chase with the same target. Bring the slider closer to a credible strike area or return to the fastball. A useful slider changes the decision in front of the batter; it is not simply a pitch to throw after every heater.
Assign the cutter and sinker distinct roles
The cutter can challenge a hitter's expected contact point after you have shown the four-seamer. Use it when you want a different look without abandoning the fastball-centered plan. The sinker gives you another movement profile and can invite ground contact when the location suits it. Keep the purpose of each pitch clear so the sequence does not become a collection of interchangeable choices.
Neither offering erases a poor location. A cutter or sinker left over the middle can still give a hitter a clean opportunity, even with Richard's strong ratings. If you are unsure where to place one, choose a target you can execute rather than aiming for a sharp edge by habit. The pitch mix creates options, but your location is what makes each option useful.
Change the plan before contact piles up
Richard's 125 stamina can support a long outing, but the energy meter is not the only signal to watch. Hard swings, fewer misses, and repeated solid contact can indicate that your opponent is reading the sequence. Change the location or pitch choice before a manageable inning turns into a difficult one. With runners aboard, favor a target you can execute comfortably; pitching clutch helps, but it does not replace sound placement.
Against an aggressive hitter, expanding slightly can test whether they will reach for a borderline pitch. A patient opponent calls for a more credible offering, not another pitch well outside the zone. Keep track of the count and the previous swing, then decide whether to stay with speed or disrupt it. That approach suits players willing to adjust at-bat by at-bat; repeating the same pattern wastes Richard's range.
Take him into a matchup with a simple plan: establish the four-seamer, note how the hitter responds, and change the next look when the swing or contact gives you a reason. Reassess when hard contact starts to repeat, even if his stamina remains high. When comparing roster priorities, treat MLB The Show 26 Stubs as a separate resource decision, and choose Richard when you are ready to make location and sequencing part of every inning.
Use the four-seamer to read the hitter
Start near an edge, then change sides so the hitter cannot settle on one lane. A fastball near the top can test whether the batter is ready for velocity, but missing over the heart of the plate gives away the advantage. If you cannot reach the high target reliably, choose a safer edge instead of forcing a perfect corner.
You do not need to chase a called strike with every first pitch. An early fastball in a competitive area can reveal the hitter's timing without locking you into a sequence. If the swing is late, keep the fastball in play; if contact is firm, change the location or the next pitch's movement. Let the response guide your choice instead of repeating a preset opener.
Make the slider change the timing picture
After showing a fastball, use the slider to give the hitter a different speed and path. A high heater followed by a slider toward the lower outside corner creates separation between the two looks. Against a right-handed batter, that target can move the pitch away from the barrel, but keep it near enough to the zone to make a swing seem worthwhile.
Watch whether the hitter offers at borderline sliders or lets them pass. If they keep taking pitches that finish well below the zone, stop trying to earn a chase with the same target. Bring the slider closer to a credible strike area or return to the fastball. A useful slider changes the decision in front of the batter; it is not simply a pitch to throw after every heater.
Assign the cutter and sinker distinct roles
The cutter can challenge a hitter's expected contact point after you have shown the four-seamer. Use it when you want a different look without abandoning the fastball-centered plan. The sinker gives you another movement profile and can invite ground contact when the location suits it. Keep the purpose of each pitch clear so the sequence does not become a collection of interchangeable choices.
Neither offering erases a poor location. A cutter or sinker left over the middle can still give a hitter a clean opportunity, even with Richard's strong ratings. If you are unsure where to place one, choose a target you can execute rather than aiming for a sharp edge by habit. The pitch mix creates options, but your location is what makes each option useful.
Change the plan before contact piles up
Richard's 125 stamina can support a long outing, but the energy meter is not the only signal to watch. Hard swings, fewer misses, and repeated solid contact can indicate that your opponent is reading the sequence. Change the location or pitch choice before a manageable inning turns into a difficult one. With runners aboard, favor a target you can execute comfortably; pitching clutch helps, but it does not replace sound placement.
Against an aggressive hitter, expanding slightly can test whether they will reach for a borderline pitch. A patient opponent calls for a more credible offering, not another pitch well outside the zone. Keep track of the count and the previous swing, then decide whether to stay with speed or disrupt it. That approach suits players willing to adjust at-bat by at-bat; repeating the same pattern wastes Richard's range.
Take him into a matchup with a simple plan: establish the four-seamer, note how the hitter responds, and change the next look when the swing or contact gives you a reason. Reassess when hard contact starts to repeat, even if his stamina remains high. When comparing roster priorities, treat MLB The Show 26 Stubs as a separate resource decision, and choose Richard when you are ready to make location and sequencing part of every inning.