You know you’re getting older, becoming a real grown-up, when you realize you’re the same age as Major League Baseball players. Then it dawns on you that players your age are considered “grizzled veterans.”
And, eventually, there’s no one your age who is still active in MLB. Then you are officially old.
Marking your age by how it compares to MLB players is a risky proposition; I’m still reeling from the fact that Placido Polanco -- a former big leaguer who was born on Oct. 10, 1975, the same day as me -- has been retired since 2013. But life moves on, inexorably, regardless.
The good news for wretches like us is that there still are some old guys hanging around. Now that the season is upon us, we take our annual look at the 10 oldest players in MLB. To qualify for this list, players simply must be in a Major League camp, even if they’re currently injured. (And we old people know how it is to always feel injured.)
Not included on this list are some players who recently concluded their careers or who remain free agents in need of a team. That group includes the likes of Justin Turner, Wade Miley, Yuli Gurriel, Adam Ottavino, and, of course, Rich Hill, who at age 46, says he’s not searching for a team but is also not officially retired … which means there’s still a chance!
Remember: No matter what your age is, you can always feel like you’re younger.
1. Justin Verlander, RHP, Giants (age 43)
Born: Feb. 20, 1983 | 1st season: 2005
It’s going to be so, so nice to see him wearing a Tigers uniform on the mound in Detroit once again.
Verlander hasn’t done that since August 2017; he has won two World Series rings and two Cy Young Awards since then. He won’t be expected to win any more of the latter this time around, but that won’t be necessary with Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez alongside him in the rotation.
Verlander is second all-time in Tigers history in strikeouts, seventh in wins, eighth in innings pitched and ninth in bWAR (second among pitchers). It will be very, very cool to see him get to add to those numbers … and maybe even have a chance to get one of those rings for his original team, which would be its first in 42 years.
2. Max Scherzer, RHP, Blue Jays (age 41)
Born: July 27, 1984 | 1st season: 2008
How cool is it that these are the two oldest players in baseball right now?
Verlander and Scherzer were teammates from 2010-14 and again in 2023, and they own a combined six Cy Youngs and four World Series rings between them.
Scherzer actually had a pretty rough 2025, putting up a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts for the Jays, but no one remembers that now because he was so vital during their run to the World Series. Obviously, the Jays, wanting to get back there and win it this time, weren’t too concerned about the regular-season results.
3. Carlos Santana, 1B/DH, Diamondbacks (age 39)
Born: April 8, 1986 | 1st season: 2010
First off, can we talk about how wild it is that there are no 40-year-old position players in baseball anymore? That’s sort of a shame: Some of our favorite memories are from graybeard dudes launching baseballs deep into the night like they’re beer-league softballs.
Santana had the worst offensive season of his career in 2025, putting up a career-low .308 OBP, nearing 50 points below his career average of .352. If he puts that up again in 2026, he is unlikely to be back in 2027. But the Diamondbacks signed him, hoping there’s still some oomph in that bat -- he’s 15 homers away from 350 for his career.
4. Chris Martin, RHP, Rangers (age 39)
Born: June 2, 1986 | 1st season: 2014
Martin was, as always, effective last year. He put up a 2.98 ERA in 49 games for the Rangers, who happily brought him back on a one-year, $4 million deal. Is there any reason to think he can’t keep doing this for another decade? He should have plenty of bullets left: He has never once, in his 10 big league seasons, thrown more than 56 innings.
5. Yu Darvish, RHP, Padres (age 39)
Born: Aug. 16, 1986 | 1st season: 2012
Darvish gets an asterisk on this list because he will miss the 2026 season after undergoing right elbow surgery in November. He did push back on reports that he was retiring and voiding his contract, so he remains on this list for now, although “for now” seems like the key phrase there. If Darvish doesn’t void the contract or retire, remember that he still has two more years on the six-year contract the Padres signed him to before the 2023 season.
6. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Rangers (age 39)
Born: Oct. 10, 1986 | 1st season: 2009
We actually waited to update this list from last year until we know Cutch was going to be back: We put it together as soon as he signed his Minor League contract with the Rangers. It’s still a little bit of a shame he won’t play with the Pirates this year, but there remains life in that bat, with a .700 OPS last year. He will get playing time against lefties, and we’re grateful: We are not ready to say goodbye to him yet.
7. Luis García, RHP, Mets (age 39)
Born: Jan. 30, 1987 | 1st season: 2013
It just wouldn’t be a list of old baseball players if it didn’t have at least one Met on it. García has appeared in 603 career games in relief but has only 17 saves, which is the sort of odd achievement that tends to be a commonality among players who stick around a long time. It’s as if the best way to last as a reliever is not to have everybody staring at you at the end of every game.
García pitched for three teams last year, but the Mets are hoping he’s good enough to just stick with one this time.
8. Caleb Thielbar, LHP, Cubs (age 39)
Born: Jan. 31, 1987 | 1st season: 2013
Thielbar made his debut in 2013 and pitched three seasons with the Twins before bouncing around the Minors and independent leagues for five years. He finally returned during the COVID season in 2020. He hasn’t left since, and 2025 was the best year of his career, with a 2.64 ERA in 67 appearances for the Cubs. He does not have any career at-bats, but if he ever got one, he’d be one of the few right-handed-batting left-handed throwers in MLB history.
9. Carlos Carrasco, RHP, Braves (age 38)
Born: March 21, 1987 | 1st season: 2009
Carrasco is barely hanging on, a part of Braves camp as a non-roster invitee, though considering all the injuries that team is dealing with, opportunities keep presenting themselves for Carrasco, and any other pitcher in the Braves camp. He had a rough 2025 for both the Braves and the Yankees, with a 7.09 ERA in 11 games, nine of them starts, and it has now been a decade since he was receiving Cy Young votes. But considering what Carrasco has dealt with on and off the field, seeing him still hanging around the big leagues is undeniably inspiring.
10. Kirby Yates, RHP, Angels (age 38)
Born: March 25, 1987 | 1st season: 2014
It was 2019 when Yates had a league-leading 41 saves and finished ninth in Cy Young voting, but he’s never been better than he was in 2024. At the age of 37, he had 33 saves and a 1.17 ERA for the Rangers.
Last year with the Dodgers did not go nearly as well (5.23 ERA) but the Angels roster is a land of opportunity for veteran rebound candidates.
Yates is among fellow pitchers 37-year-old Drew Pomeranz, 36-year-old Brent Suter, 33-year-old Robert Stephenson and 32-year-old Jordan Romano.
Honorable mentions
- Ryan Brasier, RHP, Rangers (age 38 – born Aug. 26, 1987)
- Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, Yankees (age 38 – born Sept. 10, 1987)
- Kenley Jansen, RHP, Tigers (age 38 – born Sept. 30, 1987)
- Casey Lawrence, RHP, Mariners (age 38 – born Oct. 28, 1987)