MLB The Show 23: Best Season 5 cards

The latest season of MLB The Show 23, Season 5, has arrived, bringing a lot of exciting content for players to enjoy. Hopefully, this new content will breathe new life into the game, making it worth playing once again.

As with every new MLB The Show 23 season, players can expect new programs, card series, packs, and challenges to be added to the game. The majority of this content is aimed at Diamond Dynasty mode, with the intention of drawing in new players or bringing back old ones.

In this guide, we discuss the best Season 5 cards and how they can improve your Diamond Dynasty and enhance your MLB The Show 23 experience.

Season 5 Programs

MLB The Show 23 is currently in a bit of a stale state. With fans clamouring for new content, it was imperative that the Season 5 programs be unique and exciting.

Fortunately, they didn't disappoint. Season 5 introduced a host of new and exciting programs, which could be just what Diamond Dynasty mode needs to be revitalized.

The first of these programs is the Team Affinity 5 program, one of the most popular in the MLB The Show franchise. The program offers some amazing rewards, including plenty of cards from the Finest Series.

Alongside Team Affinity 5, you can play the Ranked 8 Program and complete the Core and Set 5 Collections, just to name a few, to earn some of the “Finest” 99 Diamond player items you’ve ever seen.

Best Season 5 cards in MLB The Show 23

Speaking of the finest 99 player items, let’s take a look at the best Season 5 cards in MLB The Show 23. MLB The Show 23 Season 5 provides the Boss pack that features five cards, all of which have a 99 OVR and are part of the Finest card series.

Players can obtain up to five cards in Diamond Dynasty through the XP Reward Path. You can also get three of the cards by opening Choice Packs, while the remaining two can be acquired by spinning the XP wheel after completing the reward Path. Players who grind more have a better chance of getting all five cards.

SP Finest 2023 Jesus Luzardo (Miami Marlins)

If you predicted that Jesus Luzardo would land a top-5 SP card in Diamond Dynasty this year, you deserve a prize. Luzardo has a perfect meta-pitch mix with an elite velocity 4-Seamer and an Outlier Sinker. With 85+ Control on his three other pitches, Luzardo has a formidable arsenal.

The Slider and Circle Change are roughly the same speed, but the Cutter coming in at 92 MPH is slow enough compared to the 4-Seamer and Outlier Sinker to act as a third off-speed pitch. The Luzardo card is worth trying out in Ranked to see if it lives up to its high Meta Overall rating.

LF Finest 2023 Randy Arozarena (Tampa Bay Rays)

Rays LF Randy Arozarena has become a popular player in Diamond Dynasty and has a respectable Finest card. With numerous Finest and Retro Finest cards being added this Season, we will see many cards like Arozarena. He is a solid, not a spectacular player and a good starter on most teams.

C Finest 2023 Cal Raleigh (Seattle Mariners)

Cal Raleigh has landed a top-3 Catcher card with his Finest 2023 offering, which is the 7th-best overall card in all of Diamond Dynasty. With 100+ Contact against both sides, nearly maxed Power against both sides and almost perfect Fielding attributes, Cal Raleigh is a top-notch player.

As a switch-hitter, he has everything a player would require in a card. His arrival has transformed Catcher from a weak position into a strong one in the new season.

1B Finest 2023 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Toronto Blue Jays)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. also has the Finest card in Season 5, but it's not as impressive as it could be. Although he had a decent season, his card is not as spectacular as his potential.

First Base is already a deep position, so it's challenging to make a huge impact. Vlad Jr.'s 2023 Finest card is a bit bland and is best suited for Blue Jays theme teams.

SS Finest 2023 Elly De La Cruz (Cincinnati Reds)

Elly De La Cruz is the final XP Reward Path Boss Pack player. He has unlimited potential, as we saw with his incredible Milestone version released in Set 3. Although the 2023 Finest version is seven spots below the Milestone, the cards are pretty close.

This Elly De La Cruz is not a cheap imitation, and it is legitimately one of the best overall cards in the Diamond Dynasty. Players can earn this version for free simply by progressing in the Reward path.

Milestone Ronald Acuna Jr.

Finally, the best part of Season 5 is that Milestone Ronald Acuna Jr. is free in the XP Reward Path. That's right - free. When the Milestone card was accidentally leaked, many assumed that it would be the next Chase card.

However, SDS intentionally featured the best cards as Chase pack cards or behind collections. When it was announced during the content livestream that this card was included in the XP Reward Path, it was a pleasant surprise.

This card is undoubtedly going to be a top performer. Acuna has one of the best swings in the game, which helps the attributes consistently play up. Stack that swing on these juicy attributes, and you have a top-10 overall card in the game.

Although it would have been great to have at least 120 Power against both sides, 115 against both sides that will reach the 120 mark at Parallel 5 is fair. This card also features Diamond Fielding as Acuna boasts a stock 90 Fielding rating. That is higher than he ever deserves defensively - even from a diehard Braves fan.

Sacrificing a couple of points of Power for Diamond Fielding is a fair trade. Players will earn this Milestone Ronald Acuna Jr. by reaching the 435,000 XP mark in the Reward Path. It will take some grinding to earn him, but it's worth it.

These are the best Season 5 cards, and they will undoubtedly improve your Diamond Dynasty team. Check out RealSport101 for more MLB The Show 23 guides and news.