After a tumultuous offseason that, unfortunately, saw the MLB cancel a few regular-season games, the players and owners agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement and ended the lockout. And with the regular season comes MLB The Show 22, the latest entry in the storied baseball simulator series.
Each year, players flock immediately to player and team ratings. Not only to see where your favorite ball club stacks up but also to get a glimpse at which teams are the best of the best. Obviously, you want to choose a team that’s built to win, and these teams are certainly built (or bought) to win. Let’s take a swing at the best overall teams in MLB The Show 22.
Updated August 9, 2022, by Avery Lawrence Feyrer: Since the original posting of this article, there have been many updates to player ratings, as well as a multitude of trades, that have affected the overall team ratings. We've updated this list to display the new top teams to play with in MLB The Show 22.
10 Cleveland Guardians
Many fans expected the biggest storyline out of Cleveland for the 2022 season was the change in the team's name. However, as we approach the final months of the season, the Guardians are in the midst of a division race in the American League Central. Ranked tenth overall, the Guardians excel in team defense (first) and speed (fourth).
Whether or not the Guardians win the division, they're equipped to remain in contention for years to come behind superstar third baseman Jose Ramirez (96), closing pitcher Emmanuel Clase (92), and second baseman Andres Gimenez (91). Ramirez is an outstanding hitter who demolishes right-handed pitching (87 contact, 90 power) and is a sneaky good baserunner (69 speed, 53 steal, 70 base aggressive). In a tight spot, Gimenez shines the brightest with an extremely high clutch rating (105), and Clase is more than capable of closing games with equally high marks in velocity (99) and his breaking ability (93).
9 Milwaukee Brewers
In a year where many pegged the St. Louis Cardinals as the best team in the National League Central division, it was the Milwaukee Brewers who emerged as the team to beat. Behind 95 wins, Milwaukee took the NL Central crown but faltered early in the playoffs. While many won’t be surprised by the Brew Crew this season, they’re certainly a team to keep an eye on in 2022.
Milwaukee overwhelms opposing teams with its pitching (fourth) and power-hitting (sixth). Behind Corbin Burnes (96) and Brandon Woodruff (88), Milwaukee has one of the better pitching staff in the majors. In fact, seven of the top nine rated players on the Brewers are all pitchers; the two non-pitchers are right-fielder Hunter Renfroe (87) and shortstop Willy Adames (84). Although the Brewers are fighting to claim the National League Central crown for the second year in a row, the team elected to trade All-Star closer Josh Hader (93) to the San Diego Padres.
8 St. Louis Cardinals
Despite not winning the division in 2021, the St. Louis Cardinals still managed to win 90 games and reach the postseason. However, the Cardinals fell early in the Wild Card game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the offseason, the Cardinals brought back a familiar face in Albert Pujols, as the longtime former player enjoys one last season in St. Louis.
The Cardinals are led by new cornerstone infielder Nolan Arenado (96). Arenado is arguably the best third baseman in the league, in terms of both offensive production and his superb defense. However, the biggest superstar for the Cardinals this season has been first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (99). Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018, the 34-year-old has always been one of the premier first basemen in the league, but he's finally erupted in a huge way for St. Louis this season. Goldschmidt has godly ratings in contact against left-handers (125) and performing in the clutch (120). St. Louis also has a top second baseman in Tommy Edman (92) and closer in Ryan Helsley (92).
7 San Diego Padres
For the past few seasons, the San Diego Padres have tried (and failed) to catch the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. They've added All-Stars Manny Machado (97) and Joe Musgrove (93) to a roster that already has superstar Fernando Tatis Jr., but that still wasn't enough.
Now, the Padres are going even more all-in (if that's possible) by acquiring closer Josh Hader (93), third baseman Brandon Drury (88), first baseman Josh Bell (83), and right-fielder Juan Soto (83). There's no conceievable way for the Padres to win the NL West at this junction of the season, but San Diego has the type of team that can get dangerously hot at the right time.
6 Los Angeles Dodgers
No team in Major League Baseball has reached a level of consistent recent dominance than the Los Angeles Dodgers. Since 2012, the Dodgers have won the National League West division eight times (on track to win it for a ninth time this year), while finishing in second the other two seasons. However, fans of Los Angeles teams will tell you it’s all about winning championships, which the Dodgers haven’t had much luck with. They finally broke free in 2020, but prior to beating the Tampa Bay Rays, the Dodgers hadn’t won a title since 1988.
If there was an oppoturnity to add another championship to this storied franchise, there won’t be a better season than this one. After winning a league-leading 106 games last season, the Dodgers added perennial All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman (86) in free agency. Over the course of the season, a few of the Dodgers players have dipped in their player ratings, though the team has remained one of the best in the major leagues. Los Angeles is the only team in the game being rated top-ten among the five-team categories: contact (tenth), power (seventh), pitching (sixth), defense (third), and speed (sixth).
5 Toronto Blue Jays
Honestly, it’s tough competing in a division with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, so it’s sometimes a surprise when another team rises through the ranks. Last year, it was the Tampa Bay Rays; this year, it’s looking like the Toronto Blue Jays. Ranked fifth overall, the Blue Jays have a young, exciting team that’s brimming with raw talent. Toronto has a good balance between being an offensive juggarnaunt (seventh in contact, fifth in power) and a defensive sounded team (ninth in pitching, fourth in defense).
The Blue Jays are led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (91), the son of the former baseball legend, and catcher Alejandro Kirk (92). Guerrero Jr. finished in second place for AL MVP last year, who projects to be included among the top players in the league for years to come. On the mound, the Blue Jays entrust starters Kevin Gausman (91) and Alek Manoah (91) to keep opposing lineups in check.
4 New York Yankees
For a team that considers a season a failure if they don’t win a championship, the New York Yankees have had quite the failed seasons. The Yankees haven’t won a World Series, let alone made an appearance, since 2009. New York is currently in its longest championship drought (12 years) since the team failed to win a title from 1978 to 1996.
They don’t call themselves the Bronx Bombers for anything. Entering 2022, the Yankees are ranked fourth in power behind the destructive bats of Aaron Judge (98) and Giancarlo Stanton (92). Whether it's a righty or lefty on the mound, Judge sends balls to the moon (115 power right, 109 power left). On the mound, Gerrit Cole (90) continues to lead New York’s underrated pitching rotation (fifth), while Clay Holmes (91) operates as New York's shutdown closer.
3 Atlanta Braves
-Cropped.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
Coming off their first World Series championship since 1995, the Atlanta Braves began the season without their longtime first baseman Freddie Freeman, who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency. However, the team has overcame the roster adjustments and are the third best team in MLB The Show 22.
If a game turns into a slugfest, the Braves are primed to win. Ranked first in power, Atlanta is powered by the big bats of Ronald Acuna Jr. (97) and Austin Riley (88). Although Dansby Swanson (90) probably won't send a ball to the bleachers, he has an extremely high clutch rating (107), so he's a player you'd want to have in tight situations. Other than hitting, Atlanta sports one of the best pitching staffs in the league (third), thanks to starting pitcher Max Fried (92) and one of the best relief pitchers in the majors, A.J. Minter (92).
2 New York Mets
For fans of New York's other side, being ranked ahead of the rival Yankees in MLB The Show 22 is certainly a nice prize. Yes, the New York Mets are the second team in that city, simply because the team has two championships compared to the Yankees’ 27. And if you want to take it a step further, the Mets have finished first in their division only four times since 1986, the team’s last World Series title.
The Mets’ World Series aspirations ride upon the arms of Jacob deGrom (99) and Max Scherzer (98). Behind those two ace pitchers, and closer Edwin Diaz (92), New York is ranked first in team pitching. While the Mets sit in the middle of the pack when it comes to power-hitting (thirteenth), Pete Alonso (88) is more than capable of muscling a ball deep against both right-handers (95 power) and left-handers (93 power). But when it comes to just making contact, the team excels in that category, being ranked third overall.
1 Houston Astros
There have been two absolute dominant teams in the past five seasons, and one of them is the Houston Astros. Since 2017, the season Houston won the World Series, the Astros have finished in first place in the American League West division four times; the fifth time they finished in second place and still managed to reach the American League Championship Series.
Led by an accomplished pitching rotation (second) and solid lineup (sixth in contact, second in power), there's no debating who is the best team in MLB The Show 22. Despite the team looking slightly different without shortstop Carlos Correa, the Astros are still powered by left-fielder Yordan Alvarez (98), second baseman Jose Altuve (95), ace pitcher Justin Verlander (94), and right-fielder Kyle Tucker (91).