Even if it was all but a foregone conclusion, it’s still exciting to get Lightning Fernando Tatis Jr. in the August Monthly Awards program, especially since he’s “free” — continuing a trend that differs from prior years in Diamond Dynasty. Lightning Tatis Jr. is the main event, but this is a heftier program than I thought as well since we got seven other top players from August: Kyle Lewis, Max Fried, Teoscar Hernandez, James Karinchak, Brandon Lowe, Luke Voit and Jesse Winker.
Like the other monthly programs, this one goes to 100 points but the whole program is unlocked from the start rather than gated at each step. There is also a Prestige Fernando Tatis Jr. to grind for once you reach the end of the program. In addition, if you have been collecting the other Lightning players, you can unlock a Flashback Lightning Nick Castellanos from August 2019 after getting Fernando Tatis Jr.
August Monthly Awards Program
August Monthly Awards Program – Moments
- Oca Go Bye Bye – 4 games
- Difficulty: Rookie
- Hit 3 home runs
- How Lowe Can You Go – 4 games
- Difficulty: Veteran
- Tally 4 XBH
- Luuuuuuuke – 5 games
- Difficulty: Veteran
- Tally 20 total bases
- Louie V Smash
- Difficulty: Veteran
- Strike out 1 batter
- Teo Calls Game
- Difficulty: All-Star
- Record 1 putout
- Do not give up 1 run
- Unwritten For A Reason
- Difficulty: All-Star
- Record 1 putout
- Do not give up 1 run
- Sweet N Lowe
- Difficulty: All-Star
- Record 1 putout
- Do not give up 1 hit
- Do not walk 1 batter
- Do not hit 1 batter
- Fernandooo
- Difficulty: Veteran
- Tally 2 XBH
- Hit 1 HR
Each moment is worth either +2 or +3 points for the program. The moments total up to 20 points for the program.
August Monthly Awards Program – Missions + Collections
The moments here are worth +2 or +3 points (with one exception) and equal up to 72 points. The collection is worth 15 points, and the Monthly Awards players can be involved in the 35 players you need to collect between Topps Now and Monthly Awards.
- Play 9 innings with Mariners
- Tally 10 hits with Mariners
- Tally 3 hits with Monthly Awards Kyle Lewis
- Play 9 innings with Braves
- Tally 10 strikeouts with Braves
- Strike out 7 batters with Monthly Awards Max Fried
- Play 9 innings with Blue Jays
- Tally 5 XBH with Blue Jays
- Record 2 XBH with Monthly Awards Teoscar Hernandez
- Play 9 innings with Cleveland
- Record 1 save with Cleveland
- Strike out 3 batters with Monthly Awards James Karinchak
- Play 9 innings with Rays
- Tally 5 XBH with Rays
- Hit 2 HR with Monthly Awards Brandon Lowe
- Play 9 innings with Yankees
- Hit 3 home runs with Yankees
- Hit 2 home runs with Monthly Awards Luke Voit
- Play 9 innings with Reds
- Tally 10 hits with Reds
- Tally 3 hits with Monthly Awards Jesse Winker
- Play 9 innings with Padres
- Hit 3 home runs with Padres
- Exchange SEA, ATL, TOR, CLE, NYY, CIN and SD players (+10 points)
- Collect 35 players from Topps Now July/August and Monthly Awards August (+15)
Goals/Rewards
Let’s go through the 7 players and the various Topps Now packs you get.
- 10 points – August Monthly Awards Kyle Lewis
Kyle Lewis can play all three outfield positions, and the big thing here is the 117 contact vs. right-handed pitching. He has a bit of a reverse platoon split going on where he hits for more power vs. LHP. This card doesn’t look like anything special to start it off.
- 15 points – Topps Now Opening Weekend choice pack (2 players)
- 20 points – August Monthly Awards Max Fried
Max Fried has a five-pitch mix with a 4-seam, curve, slider, sinker and change. The loopy curve might be able to throw some people off, but the clutch at 120 with 100 H/9 are the two elements here that are intriguing on top of a solid sinker.
- 25 points – Topps Now July 27-August 02 choice pack (2 players)
- 30 points – August Monthly Awards Teoscar Hernandez
Teoscar Hernandez can also play all three outfield positions, but he’s more just leaning on the hitting when compared to Kyle Lewis. Hernandez has 125 power vs. LHP to couple with 100+ ratings against RHP. He will probably settle in as a classic pinch-hitting option.
- 35 points – Topps Now August 03-09 choice pack (2 players)
- 40 points – August Monthly Awards James Karinchak
The rare middle relief card, James Karinchak has a 4-seam, 12-6 curve, curve and 2-seam. It’s a weird combination for a reliever, but maybe doubling up on both pitch types will help him stand out as something unique. He also has 125 K/9 and 121 H/9.
- 45 points – Topps Now August 10-16 choice pack (2 players)
- 50 points – August Monthly Awards Brandon Lowe
Brandon Lowe gets the 2B/LF defensive positions to go with 119 power vs. RHP and 125 power vs. LHP. This is big-time power for a middle infield option. On top of that, I just love Lowe’s swing and generally enjoy using him so I’m stoked for this card. The contact sitting in the mid 70s isn’t anything special, but I think he can overcome it sort of like the Flashback Dietrich.
- 60 points – Topps Now August 17-23 choice pack (2 players)
- 70 points – August Monthly Awards Luke Voit
Monthly Awards Luke Voit has been cruising up the charts and did make a push for Lightning as well, but he’ll settle in with “just” a 97 overall card. He has maxed out power from both sides of the plate and 112 contact vs. RHP. His stance can throw some people off a bit, but I’m a fan of it.
- 80 points – Topps Now August 24-30 choice pack (2 players)
- 90 points – August Monthly Awards Jesse Winker
Jesse Winker has insanely good hitting stats to offset the average fielding. He has 121 contact vs. RHP, 109 contact vs. LHP, maxed power vs. RHP and 110 power vs. LHP. The vision is low at 62 but otherwise this card is ready to pop off.
- 95 points – Night Lightning bat skin
- 100 points – Lightning Fernando Tatis Jr.
There he is. He’s worth the wait as Tatis Jr. has 119 contact vs. RHP, 90 contact vs. LHP, 125 power vs. RHP, 111 power vs. LHP and 125 clutch. He’s also solid across the board in every other way, including 84 speed with 81 stealing. As the final cherry on top, he also has positional versatility at 2B and 3B.
Prestige Fernando Tatis Jr.
There is also a Prestige program, much like there was last month for James Paxton. It is two parts where you first unlock Prestige Fernando Tatis Jr. via online missions, and then in the second part you use Prestige Fernando Tatis Jr. to get a Red Lightning bat skin via more online missions.
Missions (Part 1)
- Tally 115 at-bats online with Tatis Jr.
- Tally 36 hits online with Tatis Jr.
- Tally 18 XBH online with Tatis Jr.
- Tally 24 RBIs online with Tatis Jr.
- Tally 31 runs online with Tatis Jr.
Missions (Part 2)
- Tally 20 hits online with Prestige Fernando Tatis Jr.
- Tally 10 XBH online with Prestige Tatis Jr.
- Tally 15 RBIs online with Prestige Tatis Jr.
- Tally 15 runs online with Prestige Tatis Jr.
Goals/Rewards
- 10 points – 1,000 stubs
- 20 points – The Show pack
- 30 points – 2,000 stubs
- 40 points – The Show pack (x3)
- 50 points – Prestige Fernando Tatis Jr.
- 60 points – 2,500 stubs
- 70 points – The Show pack (x5)
- 80 points – 3,000 stubs
- 90 points – Red Lightning bat skin, 2,000 stubs, 5,000 XP
