Sure seems like it, MLB pushed for multi-platform in the contract negotiations. Sony took it rather than lose the MLB license.

I don't view MLB as something that sells hardware though, so tbh they're probably better off with it on everything anyway.

I doubt the MLB "made" Sony do anything, though they might have pitched the idea--no pun intended.

What's the leverage? Taking the license away? Why would they do that? Doesn't make any sense. Even if Sony said no to multiplatform, it's hard to see MLB cancelling The Show. I very much doubt there was any kind of "forcing" at all.

My guess would be that MLB has not been happy with management of MLB video-games from sources other than Sony's San Diego studio. Probably painful to watch other sports series rake in the money, plus it could have a real impact with future growth as more kids American kids are picking football and basketball as their favorites. As with Disney and Spider-man, the MLB probably decided they could trust Sony to maintain a quality franchise. I know that if I were running Major League Baseball, taking The Show multi-platform would be my first choice if possible. It's a smart partnership for both parties.

They could have easily given the license to make MLB games to EA, 2K or someone like that.

Sony and MLB just made a deal to extend Sony's rights to have the license for the game, at the same time Sony announce the game is coming to other consoles. "Forced" might not be the right word. But it's obvious that MLB would be the party interested in getting the game out onto more platforms and during negotiations they got that wish.

Why would Take-Two (2k sports) want the license again after having the license exclusively for 6 years (2006-2012) and fully stopped making baseball games once that license was over?  Take-two making the exclusivity lapse tells me it was not a very profitable venture for them.  A simple wiki search shows the terms of their exclusivity.    Why didn't EA, who had a very good baseball franchise that ended in 2005 after 2K won their exclusivity, not start making baseball games after it ended?  Tells me that in EA's eyes, there is no money to be made making a baseball games.

The only companies making officially licensed baseball games for the past 6 years are the MLB themselves and Sony. Its pretty obvious that MLB's efforts in making a quality baseball game was not happening and I'm sure sales of the game on multiple platforms were a fraction of what Sony was getting with The Show just on Playstation. The MLB is currently going through their winter meetings (held in San Diego) and this is the agreement that both parties came up with going forward (a negotiated deal that benefits both parties). The 2021 date is important as MLB is still slated to release their R.B.I 2020 for all platforms (PS4, Xbox, and Switch) while The Show 20 was announced weeks ago for March 2020.

Sure, they could sign a deal for another publisher to make MLB licensed games.  But why would they cancel The Show, which has been around since the 1990s?

They don't like money?  They don't want a high-quality franchise with a loyal following associated with their product?  I suppose it's possible that a big-time publisher with a lot of capital made them an offer while demanding total exclusivity but has the recent history of MLB video-games really been so lucrative to the point that such an scenario seems likely?  Has it been so lucrative that Sony would feel pressured to bend over backwards to do something they really didn't want to do?  

I just don't see the leverage.

I've never cared about sports or racing games. This would be about as eventful for me as if Forza suddenly came to Switch/PS4. I'll never play an MLB game, and I'll never play another Forza. Both series bore me to tears.

And now it has been announced that Predator, another game published by Sony will launch on PC too at the same time as PS4.

They warned us. They told us their MP/competitive games were going to start appearing in other platforms....and in my opinion, it's a great idea. Like i said before, is just a matter of time they announce Dreams launching on PC too. And i won't be surprised if Gran Turismo ends on PC too in the near future...

Like with those games, MLB The Show will sell mainly on playstation platforms and any extra sale on those others platforms will be just profits. I guess maybe the MLB wanted this but i'm pretty sure that if Sony didn't want it too either, multiplatform wouldn't happened.

I had such a blast with ken Griffey jr. Baseball on the SNES. That's the last good baseball game I've played on consoles. All I can say is, either thanks to sony, or mlb for making the deal happen, because I've been dying for a good baseball game on switch.  

Now comes the death of the awful RBI games.