Hitting in MLB The Show can be hard. Trust me, I get it.

If you're smart, then you could see drastic improvements in MLB The Show 25 — but only with the right approach.

The developers have introduced Ambush Hitting, a new mechanic that allows players to "sit" on an inside or outside pitch, with a larger PCI and improved timing windows as benefits for correct guesses. Guess wrong, and both your PCI and timing window will shrink.

In the Gameplay Feature Premiere, developers said a correct guess will result in what feels like a one-difficulty decrease (meaning a Hall of Fame PCI will be the size of an All-Star PCI). An incorrect guess will be a two-difficulty increase (meaning an All-Star PCI will be the size of a Legend PCI).

So, using Ambush Hitting in the most opportune situations will be key. Let's break down the best times to do it.

THE RIGHT TIME TO USE IT

First things first: you do you.

The beauty of things like Ambush Hitting, PCI Anchors, Zone vs. Directional, etc., etc. is that you can hit in whichever way you feel most comfortable. But if you're an online semi-competitive player, there are good times to use Ambush and bad times to use it.

My plan is to NOT use Ambush Hitting for the first inning or two in a standard, nine-inning Ranked game. All bets are off in three-inning modes like Battle Royale and Events. They're the Wild, Wild West.

But in Ranked, take an inning or so to learn your opponent's tendencies. That's something you should be doing anyway, no matter the hitting mechanics present.

Then, pick your spots in 0-strike and 1-strike counts. I humbly recommend you avoid Ambush Hitting in 2-strike counts. The penalty is just too severe in a situation where you might need to fight off some tough pitches.

If your opponent chucks first-pitch fastballs inside to righties, slam that right analog stick inside and get ready to pounce. If they always throw an outside changeup in 1-strike counts, yeah, get ready.

It's all about tendencies.

THE WRONG TIME TO USE IT

Again, do you — but it seems extremely silly to use Ambush Hitting in 2-strike counts unless you are absolutely positive a particular location is coming your way.

I'd also avoid it when contact is critical. With a runner on third with less than two outs, I'd prioritize making contact versus jumping on a correct guess. Sure, there are game situations that come into play. The score matters, the inning matters, etc. But generally speaking, sometimes it's more important to simply put the ball in play.

And again, it's not necessarily "wrong" to use Ambush Hitting in the first inning or two, but it's probably smarter to use those innings as intelligence-gathering innings as opposed to kamikaze innings. You'll have your time later in the game, I promise.

SUMMARY

Ambush Hitting is a cool, fun, semi-realistic addition to a game that insists on being a real-life baseball simulation. Use it to your advantage when the timing's right.