Why MLB The Show 26 Keeps Crashing on PS5

There isn’t just one single cause. The crashes usually happen because of several smaller issues stacking together.

Heavy Menu Load Problems

One of the biggest triggers right now seems to be high-data menus, especially in Diamond Dynasty. Players have reported crashes when:

Opening the Progress or XP Reward Path tabs

Quickly swapping cards in Squad Builder

Scrolling rapidly through player inventories

Jumping repeatedly between online menus

These menus constantly load player data, animations, card art, and online syncing information all at once. On some systems, that overload causes the game to freeze or instantly crash back to the PS5 home screen.

Rest Mode Memory Conflicts

This is another common one.

If you suspend MLB The Show 26 using PS5 Rest Mode and come back later, the game sometimes resumes with unstable memory data still cached in the background. That can lead to:

Random freezing

Audio desync

Infinite loading screens

Sudden crashes during gameplay

A full restart usually clears it up immediately.

Game Mode Bugs

Some crashes are tied directly to certain modes or transitions inside the game itself.

The most commonly reported trouble spots include:

Mini Seasons

Franchise Mode saves

Road to the Show coach conversations

Post-game reward screens

Online matchmaking transitions

If crashes consistently happen in one mode, it’s likely tied to a current bug rather than your PS5 hardware.

Corrupted Cache or Database Data

Over time, the PS5 cache can build up corrupted temporary files after updates, interrupted downloads, or game crashes. When that happens, MLB The Show 26 may start acting unstable even if it previously worked fine.

Symptoms usually include:

Crashes at startup

Black screens

Long loading times

Menu freezing

PS5 Overheating

If your entire PS5 suddenly powers off instead of simply closing the game, overheating is probably the issue.

MLB The Show 26 pushes the console pretty hard during:

Night games

Packed stadium scenes

Replays and cutscenes

Long online sessions

Dust buildup inside the vents can make temperatures climb fast, especially on older launch-model PS5 systems.

How to Fix MLB The Show 26 Crashes on PS5

These are the fixes that consistently help stabilize the game.

1. Stop Using Rest Mode for the Game

This is probably the easiest fix.

Instead of suspending the game:

Highlight MLB The Show 26 on the home screen

Press the Options button

Select Close Game

Restart the PS5 completely

A full reboot clears temporary memory leaks and prevents corrupted session data from carrying over.

A lot of players noticed fewer crashes immediately after avoiding Rest Mode entirely.

2. Clear PS5 Cache and Rebuild Database

This helps fix corrupted system data without deleting your games or saves.

How to do it

Fully power off the PS5

Hold the power button until you hear a second beep

Connect your controller with a USB cable

Enter Safe Mode

Choose Clear Cache and Rebuild Database

Select Rebuild Database

The process can take several minutes depending on your storage size.

After rebuilding the database, many menu freezes and startup crashes disappear.

3. Turn Off VRR and Cross-Play

Some players have had surprisingly***d results by disabling a few background features.

Disable VRR

Go to:

Settings → Screen and Video → Video Output → VRR → Off

Disable Cross-Play

Inside MLB The Show 26:

Settings → Online → Cross-Play → Off

Cross-play syncing occasionally seems to create matchmaking or connection instability during online modes.

If you mostly play offline, turning it off is worth testing.

4. Restore PS5 Licenses

Digital license sync issues can sometimes kick players out of games unexpectedly.

Steps

Open PS5 Settings

Go to Users and Accounts

Select Other

Choose Restore Licenses

This only takes a minute and can fix weird launch or authentication problems.

5. Check for Overheating

If your PS5 fully shuts down during gameplay, heat is likely the real problem.

Things that help

Remove dust from vents using compressed air

Clean the fan area carefully

Make sure the console has open airflow space

Avoid enclosed TV cabinets

Try placing the PS5 horizontally instead of vertically

Some players noticed lower temperatures after switching orientations, especially during longer sessions.

6. Reinstall the Game If Crashes Continue

Sometimes updates or interrupted installs corrupt game files.

If none of the other fixes work:

Delete MLB The Show 26

Restart the PS5

Reinstall the game fresh

Download the newest patch before launching

It’s annoying, but it can completely eliminate persistent crashing loops.

Temporary In-Game Workarounds

Until San Diego Studio releases more stability patches, there are a few things worth avoiding.

Try not to:

Spam player swaps inside Squad Builder

Open multiple Diamond Dynasty menus rapidly

Leave Franchise Mode running for hours

Depend entirely on auto-save

Suspend the game using Rest Mode

For Franchise players especially, manual saves are much safer right now.

Right now, MLB The Show 26 crashing on PS5 seems to be a mix of game-side bugs and system-side stability issues. Some crashes are clearly tied to menus and specific modes, while others come from cache corruption or overheating hardware.

The biggest fixes for most players have been:

Avoiding Rest Mode

Rebuilding the PS5 database

Cleaning the console

Disabling VRR and Cross-Play

Installing the latest patches

Until future updates improve optimization, those workarounds are probably the best way to keep the game stable and playable.