MLB The Show 21 July Monthly Awards program – How to get Lightning Joey Votto, rewards, and more

The fourth month of the 2021 MLB season is in the books, which means it’s time for yet another Monthly Awards program in MLB The Show 21. Last month, now-former Nationals outfielder Kyle Schwarber was the Lightning card, and that program is still available. But on August 5, Sony San Diego released the fourth Monthly Awards program of 2021. The first 99 OVR Lightning card has been released by SDS, and Reds first baseman and former NL MVP Joey Votto is the recipient. So, what do you need to do to unlock Votto, plus all the other rewards in this program? Let’s go over what you need to know.

MLB The Show 21 July Monthly Awards program

Much like with other programs in MLB The Show, players will need to acquire points for the program. There are 20 different awards available in this program, and this is how it breaks down:

• 5 Points – 92 OVR POTM Kendall Graveman card
• 10 Points – Topps Now (06/28-07/04) Choice Pack
• 15 Points – 1000 Stubs
• 20 Points – 93 OVR POTM Frankie Montas card
• 25 Points – MLB The Show 21 pack
• 30 Points – 94 OVR POTM Austin Riley card
• 35 Points – Topps Now (07/05-07/11) Choice Pack
• 40 Points – 94 OVR POTM Kyle Farmer card
• 45 Points – 1000 Stubs
• 50 Points – 95 OVR POTM Brandon Lowe card
• 55 Points – Topps Now (07/12/-07/18) Choice Pack
• 60 Points – 96 OVR POTM Walker Buehler card
• 65 Points – Topps Now (07/19-07/25) Choice Pack
• 70 Points – 96 OVR POTM A.J. Pollock card
• 75 Points – MLB The Show 21 pack (x5)
• 80 Points – 97 OVR POTM Harrison Bader card
• 85 Points – 2000 Stubs
• 90 Points – Series 42 Choice Pack
• 95 Points – MLB The Show 21 Diamond Bat Equipment Perk
• 100 Points – 99 OVR Lightning Joey Votto card

MLB The Show players can take home many awards this month, including 4000 Stubs, and nine 90+ OVR cards.

To make progress in this program, you’ll need to complete a combination of Collections, Moments, and Missions. Here’s one route that can get you to 100 Points:

• July Monthly Awards and Topps Now collection (38 Players – 15 Points)
• July Monthly Awards Moments (36 Points)
• Complete any of these other missions in order to get the remaining 49 Points:
  • 30 Total Bases with Topps Now players (10 Points)
  • 5 Home Runs with Topps Now players (10 Points)
  • 15 Strikeouts with Topps Now players (10 Points)
  • 10 Total Bases with POTM Pollock (4 Points)
  • 9 Strikeouts with POTM Montas (4 Points)
  • 3 Extra Base Hits with POTM Lowe (4 Points)
  • 5 Strikeouts with POTM Graveman (4 Points)
  • 2 Home Runs with POTM Riley (4 Points)
  • 10 Total Bases with POTM Bader (4 Points)
  • 10 Total Bases with POTM Farmer (4 Points)
  • 9 Strikeouts with POTM Buehler (4 Points)

Ideally, you will want to get the three 10 Points Missions done. Then, mix and match and pick five of the other eight remaining Missions to get to 100. And yes, you have to do the collection to acquire the Lightning award. The collection can be completed by acquiring all the Monthly Awards cards for July and all Topps Now items. Topps Now cards can be obtained either through the choice packs from the July program and the special Moments.

Additionally, SDS added a new collection for the 5th Inning Program. MLB The Show players can acquire 20,000 XP and 100 Stubs towards the 5th Inning by acquiring three players from the July Monthly program.