The Washington Nationals failed to meet high expectations as the team was unable to reach the postseason and gave up on even making a run in mid-August.
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The choice of Harper is unusual given that he is currently a free agent. Video game publishers typically avoid that scenario. The official cover art, in-game menus and promotional material can’t be completed until he signs with a team. That could happen in the coming days, but the risk is that negotiations could drag on for months before anything is finalized. J.D. Martinez didn’t sign with the Red Sox until just weeks before the 2018 season began.
When Harper does agree to a deal, which is expected to be the largest in baseball history, that’ll be a big opportunity for publisher SCEA to capitalize on the news and exposure that will come with it. Until recent years, the “MLB The Show” cover was fairly easy to predict; SCEA would choose a young player who was well-established a few years into his career, hailed from a playoff team but not a World Series participant, and may have been an award winner. That has changed, though, with snagging the high-profile Harper and after selecting a legend for “MLB 17” (Ken Griffey Jr.) and a rising star coming off a rookie season for “MLB 18” (Aaron Judge). “MLB The Show 19” will release March 26, 2019, for the PlayStation 4. Pre-ordering the game will provide 10 standard packs and a gold player choice pack for the game’s Diamond Dynasty team-building mode. A $70 MVP edition will include extra digital content.
Bryan Wiedey posts sports gaming news and analysis daily at Pastapadre.com, is co-founder of the sports gaming site HitThePass.com, hosts the “Press Row Podcast” and can be reached on Twitter @Pastapadre.
