Let's get one thing clear right off the bat: Weekend Classic in MLB The Show 25 is a fantastic concept. It's a mode the community has been craving for MLB 25 Stubs years, a structured, high-stakes competitive event that runs over the weekend, rewarding skill and perseverance with meaningful in-game prizes. On paper, it has everything a competitive baseball fan could want.

But as good as the idea is, the execution has left a lot to be desired. For a mode meant to celebrate top-tier play and bring excitement to the weekend grind, Weekend Classic has been hampered by frustrating issues, inconsistent matchmaking, and reward systems that feel underwhelming considering the effort required. And while developers at San Diego Studio have made some improvements, the mode still feels far from what it could, and should, be.

The Matchmaking Mess

When Weekend Classic first launched, one of the most glaring problems was its matchmaking system. Players who had qualified for a certain level of difficulty, say, Veteran or All-Star, weren't always matched accordingly. Instead, they'd often be placed against opponents on much higher difficulties, despite never opting into those tiers. This created a harsh learning curve and discouraged casual but competitive players from participating.

To the studio's credit, this issue was addressed relatively quickly. Difficulty settings are now better aligned with player performance and placement. That early fix showed that San Diego Studio was listening, and there was a brief period where Weekend Classic felt like it might hit its stride.

Unfortunately, new problems have surfaced, and they're starting to erode player trust again.

New Problems, Same Frustration

Even after matchmaking was cleaned up, the experience still feels inconsistent. One of the most persistent complaints is uneven player pools. Sometimes you'll find yourself in an evenly matched, tense game. Other times, it feels like you're facing someone completely out of your league, regardless of placement or past performance. It's as if the backend algorithm sometimes just throws its hands up and says, "Good luck!"

Another major point of contention is connection quality. Because Weekend Classic draws players from all over the country, or even internationally, lag has become a major issue. In a mode where timing and pitch precision are everything, input delay and jittery animations are unacceptable. Players have voiced these complaints repeatedly, yet not much seems to be improving on MLB The Show 25 Stubs that front.

But perhaps the most disappointing issue of all lies in the reward structure.