Optimal Nine

Fill nine slots. Beat the number.

Every day, Optimal Nine deals one board: a franchise, a stat, and an era. Name players who appeared for that team inside the era — one per slot — and build the highest-scoring lineup you can. One season with the club unlocks a player's whole career: Lou Brock was a Cub for three years, and all 3,023 of his hits count on a Cubs board.

THREE MEDALS ON EVERY BOARD Bronze, silver, and gold targets give beginners something to clear and experts something to chase. Take the one you can.

HOW IT PLAYS • Search all of MLB history since 1871 • Values reveal when you lock a pick • Every board opens with four players' initials. Stuck? Hints reveal two players' career years or one name • Hard mode hides the opening initials. Same medals, no head start • Give up any time: the board scores as it stands and the optimal nine is revealed

DAILY, ARCHIVE, AND FREE PLAY Everyone gets the same Daily, resetting at midnight UTC. Free Play deals a random franchise, stat, and era — three boards a day, or watch a short ad for one more. Some boards are a batting lineup, some a pitching staff.

MISSED A DAY? PLAY IT BACK The Archive is a calendar of every past Daily. Medal dots mark the ones you've cleared; tap any day you missed and play it. Unlock the Archive once and you also get no ads, free hints, and unlimited Free Play.

SHARE THE GRID, SPOIL NOTHING Your result shares as a nine-square grid with your medal and score — no player names, so nothing gets ruined for friends.

Statistics from the Lahman Baseball Database, maintained by SABR. Career totals through 2025.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by Major League Baseball or any MLB club.