During a live baserunning play, flick the right stick up for a headfirst slide, down for feet-first, or left/right for the matching hook slide.
To slide in MLB The Show 26, use the right stick while the runner approaches the base: up for a headfirst slide, down for feet-first, left for a hook slide left, or right for a hook slide right. These directional slide inputs are listed in the official baserunning controls.
Slide controls
| Slide | Input on PS5, Xbox, and Switch controllers |
|---|---|
| Headfirst | Right stick up |
| Feet-first | Right stick down |
| Hook left | Right stick left |
| Hook right | Right stick right |
Use the direction during the live baserunning sequence, not while the pitch is still being selected. If nothing happens, check whether the play has already entered an automatic animation and confirm that the right stick—not the left stick—is receiving the input.
Advance, return, and freeze runners
| Action | PlayStation 5 | Xbox Series X|S | Nintendo Switch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advance all | Hold L1 | Hold LB | Hold L |
| Return all | Hold R1 | Hold RB | Hold R |
| Freeze runners | R2 | RT | ZR |
| Cue steal | L2 | LT | ZL |
| Manual steal jump | Hold and release L2 | Hold and release LT | Hold and release ZL |
Advance All is useful when every runner should move, but it can also send a trailing runner into an unnecessary out. Target an individual runner when only one base decision should change.
Target a single runner with Analog baserunning
Point the left stick toward the runner, then press the face button representing the destination base. The diamond mapping is:
| Destination | PlayStation | Xbox | Switch |
|---|---|---|---|
| First base | Circle | B | A |
| Second base | Triangle | Y | X |
| Third base | Square | X | Y |
| Home | X | A | B |
Buttons baserunning reverses the selection order: hold the face button for the runner's current base, then use the destination direction. If the wrong runner moves repeatedly, verify whether Analog or Buttons is active before changing timing.
Slide Step is a pitching action
Google's “MLB The Show 26 slide” suggestions mix runner slides with the pitcher's Slide Step Delivery. They are different controls. Runner slides use right-stick directions; the pitching slide step uses the left trigger plus right stick after pitch selection. See the pickoff and slide-step guide for that branch.
Return to the MLB The Show 26 hub for mode, crossplay, and update answers.
Sources
QUICK ANSWERS
Questions players ask next
How do you slide in MLB The Show 26?
Use the right stick during the baserunning play—up for headfirst, down for feet-first, left for a hook slide left, or right for a hook slide right.
How do you advance every runner?
Hold L1 on PlayStation, LB on Xbox, or L on Nintendo Switch. Return all runners with R1, RB, or R.
How do you control only one runner?
In Analog baserunning, point the left stick toward that runner, then press the face button for the destination base. In Buttons mode, hold the runner's current-base button, then use the destination direction.
How do you steal a base manually?
The official manual lists the left trigger for cueing a steal; hold and release it for manual jump timing. The exact trigger name is L2 on PlayStation, LT on Xbox, or ZL on Switch.
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