Cincinnati Reds: Amir Garrett rightfully agitated by video game rating

Cincinnati Reds reliever Amir Garrett was given a 66 rating by MLB’s The Show. Garrett did not take kindly to the low number.

It would appear as though MLB’s The Show, a baseball video game published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, needs to have a discussion with their Player Ratings Team. Cincinnati Reds reliever Amir Garrett was given a 66 rating. Now, I’m not a big gamer, but even I know that a rating like that is massively inaccurate.

Garrett voiced his displeasure through social media, posting on Twitter, “Hey @MLBTheShow
can we talk about how my overall rating is a 66? I’m confused.. lol something ain’t right.” Garrett’s correct; something ain’t right.

Last season, Amir Garrett put together a phenomenal stretch of pitching before the All-Star break. Garrett made 42 appearances out of the bullpen, going 37 innings with 54 strikeouts and a 1.70 ERA.

Garrett’s second half was a bit more shaky, but an injured lat landed the left-hander on the injured list just before the Midsummer Classic. Garrett finished the 2019 season with 56 innings of work, 78 strikeouts and a 3.21 ERA. According to FanGraphs, Garrett’s strikeout-rate rose from 26.9% in 2018 to 31.7% last season.

When looking at the ratings of some fellow Reds teammates, it further brings the 66 rating into question. Outfielder Mark Payton, a fine minor league player who’s never reached the major leagues, received a 70 rating. Fellow reliever Robert Stephenson, who had a breakout year in 2019, earned 73 rating from the Player Rating Team.

By no means am I trying to diminish the performances of Payton and Stephenson. To be honest, I’d make the case that Stephenson deserves a higher rating than 73. However, given the season that Amir Garrett put together in 2019, this seems like an egregious error.

MLB The Show responded to Garrett’s criticism via Twitter, asking the southpaw to make his case and they’ll hand-deliver it to their Player Ratings Team. Garrett retorted as only he can, saying,” Well clearly your player ratings team sucks, and they don’t watch baseball. Fire them all… I’m on this 2k with it though.”

Amir Garrett, never change. Hopefully we get to see Garrett and the rest of his Cincinnati Reds teammates back on the field soon enough. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced yesterday that we’re looking at mid-May as the earliest start date for the 2020 season.