Cubs could use offseason to get younger after being MLB's second-oldest team in 2026

Four teams had an average age of 30 or older this season - and all four made the playoffs. The Los Angeles Dodgers led the league at 30.4, followed by the Chicago Cubs (30.1) and Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies (30.0).

There were major narratives surrounding, in particular, the Phillies' age and, after the Milwaukee Brewers steamrolled the back-to-back reigning champion Dodgers in the NLCS, baseball writers and fans alike talked about how 'old' Dave Roberts' team looked this year. Oddly enough, though, we rarely heard that storyline in Chicago.

The good news is that Jed Hoyer has an opportunity to turn back the clock on this roster as he approaches what could be a transformative offseason. No, you're not doing anything with the two oldest position players on the roster in Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson, but you have a ton of aging pieces coming off the books.

Every player on this list is likely to hit free agency once the World Series ends and is 33 or older (ages in parentheses):

• Caleb Thielbar (39)
• Shota Imanaga (33)
• Matthew Boyd (35)
• Kevin Gausman (35)
• Clay Holmes (33)
• Colin Rea (36)
• Michael Conforto (36)
• Trent Thornton (33)
• Tyler Austin (35)

The good news is the bulk of these names are on the pitching side of things, which is where we know Hoyer and the Cubs' front office are going to be focusing this winter. As he re-tools a pitching staff that couldn't stay healthy and, at times, seemed to very much be taking things day by day, Hoyer could build some sustainability, as opposed to relying heavily on guys in their mid-30s.

There's still a lot of value in the Cubs having veteran players to rely on

I'm not saying Chicago needs a youth movement. The team is firmly in the middle of a contention window and shouldn't simply roll the dice and pray on unproven players delivering. We've talked about that idea when wondering how the Cubs will replace Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki (both of whom are entering their age-33 seasons in 2027, for what it's worth).

Handing the reins to Pedro Ramirez and Matt Shaw in the corner spots seems like an ill-fated exercise and, barring a reunion with one of them, odds are we see another veteran added to the mix. But the Cubs have a prime chance to get a little younger and add a more dynamic feel to this team heading into next year and wasting that opportunity would be a big disappointment.

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