MLB 12: The Show is a video game which was published by and developed by . The game was released on March 6, 2012 for the and . It is also the second installment of the series to be compatible with .
, first baseman of the , was awarded the title of cover athlete after he batted .338 with 27 home runs and 117 runs batted in during the 2011 season. González is the third Red Sox player to be awarded the cover, the first being for , and the second being for .
On January 23, 2012, it was reported that there would be a separate cover for Canadian buyers, with right fielder/third baseman on the cover. Bautista batted .302 with 43 home runs and 103 runs batted in during the .
This marks the first year where the game is not developed for the or . However, it's the first installment of the series on Sony's newer handheld, the PlayStation Vita.
A commercial for the game involves the city of Chicago celebrating after the win the World Series at , and then it is revealed that the moment is played out on the game itself. (, the real Cubs won the Series, but clinched on the road, not in their home ballpark.).