"Dudes are really out here getting upset that you can play as a woman" - Insider blasts fan outrage as MLB The Show 24 introduces female player mode

The popular baseball game MLB The Show 24 is introducing a new feature to make the game more authentic and more enjoyable for players. Sony San Deigo Studio shared the news of a new addition in the Road to the Show mode, where gamers can play a personalized story as a female player.

According to PlayStation.Blog, with the pre-existing features of Road to the Show, this new addition will feature a unique-to-women storyline.

However, a group of fans have discarded the initiative. In response, DraftKings baseball writer Jared Carrabis gave his opinion on X.

“Dudes are really out here getting upset that you can play as a woman in MLB The Show because it’s never happened in real life and then creating themselves as a playable character looking like Mark McGwire in 1998. it’s a video game, my guy. it’s gonna be okay.” Carrabis tweeted.

Female baseball players like Toni Stone and Veronica Alvarez have made significant contributions to the sport. Stone was the first female player to play in the Negro Leagues in 1949. Alvarez, a former catcher and present manager of the USA Baseball women’s national team, also hopes to burst the myth that baseball is for boys and softball for girls.

“I think that in the United States especially, we’re brainwashed to think that boys play baseball and girls play softball, when in reality both exist in both worlds,” Alvarez said via the New York Times.

Inspiration for MLB The Show 24: Women pave their way

Mollie Braley, the narrative designer of the project, shared on PlayStation.Blog that a new feature is being added to MLB The Show 24. Additionally, a new storyline will be added to showcase Toni Stone's professional journey.

“This feature was inspired by the stories of women in baseball. Throughout history, women have been making waves in the sport. These include legends such as Toni Stone, who was one of the first women ever to play professional baseball, and has a new storyline in MLB The Show 24,” Braley said, via PlayStation.Blog.

Kelsie Whitmore, the first woman to sign with an MLB-partnered league in 2022, believes that the initiative will inspire young girls to take up baseball and learn more about the sport.

“This new gameplay experience is a unique pivot in the baseball world that will encourage, inspire, and motivate individuals to chase their dreams,” Whitmore said via PlayStation.Blog.

“To me, this project is a great opportunity for the world to be informed of women who play baseball and that taking their skills to the next level is possible.”

MLB The Show 24 will be available on March 19.