If you tuned in to the first day of the 2023 MLB Playoffs, you already saw some familiar faces making an impact who have been around for a while.
Diamondbacks 3B Evan Longoria earned a start at 37 years old. Brewers 3B Josh Donaldson (37) and 1B Carlos Santana (36) were both also in their team’s starting lineup. Marlins 1B Yuli Gurriel (39) had a pinch-hit appearance and Twins RP Caleb Thielbar (36) threw a shutdown inning in relief.
And that’s all before starting pitchers like Astros’ Justin Verlander (40) and Braves’ Charlie Morton (39) take the hill in their respective Division League Series this weekend.
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Who are the oldest players in the 2023 MLB playoffs? The Sporting News has you covered with the full list below.
Oldest players in 2023 MLB playoffs
Verlander stands alone as the oldest player in the MLB playoffs at 40 years old.
Morton is next up, turning 40 in November, while Gurriel is the oldest batter at 39. Marlins reliever David Robertson is 38, and Longoria will join him when he turns 38 this weekend (Oct. 7).
There are 16 players on postseason rosters who are 36 years or older.
| Player | Team | Position | Age |
| Justin Verlander | Astros | Pitcher | 40 |
| Yuli Gurriel | Marlins | First base | 39 |
| Charlie Morton | Braves | Pitcher | 39 |
| David Robertson | Marlins | Pitcher | 38 |
| Josh Donaldson | Brewers | Third base | 37 |
| Evan Longoria | Diamondbacks | Third base | 37 |
| Carlos Santana | Brewers | First base | 37 |
| José Abreu | Astros | First base | 36 |
| Michael Brantley | Astros | Designated hitter | 36 |
| Jake Diekman | Rays | Pitcher | 36 |
| Lance Lynn | Dodgers | Pitcher | 36 |
| Martín Maldonado | Astros | Catcher | 36 |
| Collin McHugh | Braves | Pitcher | 36 |
| Wade Miley | Brewers | Pitcher | 36 |
| Caleb Thielbar | Twins | Pitcher | 36 |
| Kirby Yates | Braves | Pitcher | 36 |
Evan Longoria’s poise shines in Game 1 vs. Brewers
Experience is key in the postseason, especially for a player like Longoria who is competing on one of the youngest teams in the 2023 playoffs. It didn’t take long for his poise to shine through, coming up with a game-saving web gem in the biggest moment of the Diamondbacks’ Game 1 win over the Brewers.
Leading by just one run in the bottom of the fifth, Milwaukee had a key opportunity to take back the lead. Three consecutive singles loaded the bases with no outs until Arizona’s Ryne Nelson struck out Brice Turang. That brought Tyrone Taylor to the plate, who already had a two-run home run earlier in the game.
After a pitching change, Diamondbacks’ Ryan Thompson had to attack Taylor with a 3-2 count. Taylor roped a line drive that surely would’ve been a game-tying RBI to left field, but Longoria leaped and somehow made a stab at it before turning a 5-4 double play to catch the aggressive runner on second.
Evan Longoria with a ridiculous catch.
🎥: @MLB pic.twitter.com/0TYHVce9GU
— Sporting News MLB (@sn_mlb) October 4, 2023
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That play not only maintained the Diamondbacks’ lead — it halted all of the Brewers’ momentum as Arizona stole the first game of a three-game series when Milwaukee’s ace, Corbin Burnes, was on the hill.
Now, the Diamondbacks are in the driver’s seat with Zac Gallen pitching in Game 2 and Merrill Kelly on deck for a potential Game 3 as Arizona looks to advance to the NLDS for the first time since 2017.