The Los Angeles Dodgers have all the talent a team could want and the success to back it up, but is there an inevitable challenge on the horizon?
The Los Angeles Dodgers have captured and maintained control of the proverbial mountain top after winning back-to-back World Series’. After signing three-time All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to a record-setting three-year deal, they look motivated for a three-peat.
A large part of the Dodgers’ success can be credited to their star-studded roster mixed with veteran leadership. The club is not full of young talent, but mostly seasoned veterans who have been there and done that, and age might be what makes or breaks them, according to ESPN’s David Schoenfield.
In Schoenfield’s recent article titled “2026 MLB predictions: One stat to make or break every NL team,” Schoenfield simply lists the Dodgers with the number 30.7 — the average age of the team's position players.
“Certainly, the bullpen was the big issue in 2025, which the Dodgers addressed by signing top available closer Edwin Diaz,” Schoenfield wrote. “There are still plenty of power arms in L.A.'s pen, too; expect a much better season from that group.”
“So, let's go with 30.7 as a key number -- the average weighted age via Baseball Reference (based on playing time) of Dodgers position players in 2025, making it the oldest group in the majors. It was still an effective group, thanks in large part to Shohei Ohtani, as only the Yankees scored more runs than L.A.”
The Dodgers offense was not quite as potent in 2025, which may be age related in Schoenfield’s view.
“If there's a reason the Dodgers are beatable in 2026, however, it will be regression from this group as age starts catching up to some of the key performers. The Dodgers have dropped from 906 runs in 2023 to 842 in 2024 to 825 in 2025 -- remember, that's despite adding Ohtani in 2024.”
“Freddie Freeman is still great but will be entering his age-36 season; Max Muncy is 36; Mookie Betts will be 33, coming off his worst season; Teoscar Hernandez will be 33, coming off a .284 OBP. The Dodgers added to the bullpen, but let's see if they look to boost the offense -- or at least get a little younger.”
In Betts’ defense, a bizarre stomach virus that caused him to 20 pounds of weight, along with the grief brought on by the death of his stepfather, are likely the bigger contributors to a down year than his age. Yet, time is not slowing down, and the end of his prime is nearing if it is not over already.
Freeman and Muncy are even closer to the end. Sure, they probably have a lot of baseball left, but it will be interesting to see if Schoenfield’s prediction holds up.