Today, we’re talking about the fastest way to grind Team Affinity in MLB The Show 25. If you’re trying to stack your squad with some of the best cards in the game without spending stubs, this is exactly how you do it. For us No Money Spent players this is the ideal way to add some of the best cards into our lineups at launch.
The format for Team Affinity has changed as each team now has its own program instead of years past when each division had its own program. This has caused the grind to appear much longer than prior years. Team Affinity is a grind, no doubt, but if you play it smart, you can knock these out way quicker than most players. I’m gonna walk you through the best strategies, which game modes to use, and how to maximize your grind so you’re getting those rewards ASAP.
Step 1: Pick One or Two Team Affinity Programs
The first thing you gotta do is decide which Team Affinity programs you wanna work on. Don’t try to do all of them at once—that’s gonna slow you down. Instead, focus on one or two teams that you can build a lineup around.
Here’s the deal: If you can fill your squad with 7-8 players from one team, then go all-in on that program. But if you can only get 3-4 players from one team, then you should work on two programs at the same time to maximize your progress.
For example, let’s say you’re working on the Yankees’ Team Affinity. If you’ve got enough players to almost fill a lineup, then you should grind that program solo. But if you only have a handful of Yankees, grab another team, like the Dodgers or Braves, and grind them both at the same time.
Step 2: Complete the Starter Moment
Once you’ve chosen your team, go into the Team Affinity program and find the “Start Here!” Moment. This is super important because it gives you 5,000 TA points right away and unlocks your first Silver card.
If you’re working on two programs at once, make sure you do both of their Starter Moments so you can unlock two Silver cards immediately.
Step 3: Use Your Silver Cards & Build Your Lineup
Now that you’ve got your Silver card(s), throw them right into your lineup. Your goal here is to fill your squad with as many Team Affinity players as possible because you’ll be earning XP and missions for them at the same time.
Again, if you’re only focusing on one team, try to stack your lineup with as many players from that team as possible. But if you’re running two programs, mix and match both teams to keep racking up progress.
Step 4: Grind Missions & Earn Parallel XP
Now, let’s talk about how you complete Team Affinity fast.
Under My Journey, you’ll see a bunch of missions tied to specific actions, like getting hits, strikeouts, or home runs with your Team Affinity players. The beauty of this is that you don’t have to do anything special, just play the game, and you’ll naturally complete these missions.
Also, don’t forget about Parallel XP (PXP). Each Silver card you get from the Starter Moment earns you 10,000 TA points when you hit 150 PXP. This is why it’s so important to keep those Silver players in your lineup and grind their XP as fast as possible.
Once you unlock Gold and Diamond players from the program, swap them in immediately to keep earning even more TA points.
Step 5: Best Game Modes to Grind TA Fast
Alright, so the biggest question—where should you grind Team Affinity?
There are two game modes that are the absolute best for this:
1. Mini Seasons
- Play on Rookie difficulty for easy stat padding.
- Use a Created Stadium like Blank Canvas to hit more home runs.
- Games are short, but you’re racking up XP, TA missions, and PXP all at once.
2. Play vs. CPU
- Pick the White Sox as your opponent (they’re one of the easiest teams to hit against).
- Play at Coors Field for max home runs.
- Set difficulty to Rookie and just smash stats.
Both of these modes allow you to grind missions quickly while also stacking stubs, XP, and packs along the way.
Step 6: Work Through Quick Impact Missions
Once you’ve got some TA progress going, start knocking out Quick Impact Missions.
- 12 innings pitched
- 3 wins
- Stolen bases
- Hits
These are super easy to complete and help you unlock more Gold cards, which then give you even more TA points.
A solid Gold card to target is Ben Rice (Yankees)—he’s got great stats and is a huge help early in the grind.
Step 7: Keep Stacking & Prepping for Future TA Drops
The best part about Team Affinity in MLB The Show 25? It doesn’t reset!
That means if you keep grinding now, you’ll have vouchers ready for the next drop in July (which will be All-Star Team Affinity). Keep stacking these rewards, and by the time Finest Team Affinity drops in November, you’ll already be way ahead of the game.
Final Thoughts
Team Affinity is all about strategy and efficiency. If you follow this method:
✅ Pick one or two teams
✅ Complete the Starter Moment
✅ Fill your squad with Team Affinity players
✅ Grind missions in Mini Seasons or Play vs. CPU
✅ Keep swapping in better TA rewards
You’re gonna blow through these programs faster than most people, get some of the best cards in the game early, and stay ahead of the meta.
If you have any questions about Team Affinity, no money spent strategies, or grinding XP, drop a comment below! And don’t forget to subscribe for more MLB The Show 25 content—big things coming!