In a previous article (read it here!) we discussed the Chicago Cubs’ pitching staff from 1984 to 1985, and what lessons the modern Cubs could take away from those 40-year-old mistakes. This piece will focus on the bats.

Larry Bowa was a fill-in shortstop in 1984 and into 1985. The Cubs were waiting for superstar prospect Shawon Dunston to be ready. Dunston, a shortstop chosen first overall by Chicago in 1982, hit .790 with ten home runs his high school senior season in Brooklyn, New York. Blessed with a rocket arm, it was just a matter of time before he reached his own expectations of becoming a Hall of Fame player. Of course, Dunston did become enshrined in the Hall of Fame, but not in Cooperstown.

He had a long career and was solid by statistical measures, was an All-Star and starter for the 1989 playoffs team. But he was not a difference-maker in 1985. That year, he had a .698 OPS and an 89 WRC+, 11 percent below league average. It wasn’t until 1992 that he exceeded league average in that metric, after six seasons in the big leagues. He topped out in his career with 1.5 WAR, primarily due to offensive struggles.

So, what does that have to do the current Cubs? Well, they are about to let Kyle Tucker and his production walk out of the door. The offseason is not here yet—time remains for them to add a veteran to replace him (or just outright retain Tucker). But the most likely scenario is youngsters like Owen Caissie and Moises Ballesteros absorbing those at-bats. Dunston, who was a higher level prospect than either one of the current ones, never had a major impact on the team until later in his career. The Cubs run the risk of betting their fortunes on young players who have a long learning ahead of them.

And it doesn’t stop with Caissie and Ballesteros. Pete Crow-Armstrong is no cinch to be a 30-30 guy ever again unless he fixes his plate discipline. Matt Shaw also had an uninspiring season in totality. Trusting young players to bolster playoff hopes is a large risk-one that backfired in 1985 (though not one hurt the championship team in 2016, admittedly).

In the 1980s, the Cubs also ran back nearly the entire lineup. But look at their 1985 ages:

Gary Matthews: 34

Ron Cey: 37

Keith Moreland: 31

Bob Dernier: 28

Jody Davis: 28 (old in catcher years)

Now, look at some ages of the 2025 Cubs who are projected to return:

Nico Hoerner: 29

Ian Happ: 31

Dansby Swanson: 32

Seiya Suzuki: 31

Carson Kelly: 31

This is an uncomfortable position the Cubs find themselves in. In 1985, Matthews, Cey, and Jody Davis could not replicate their 1984 efforts, contributing to their demise. Bob Dernier also fell victim to the BABIP gods and was not the same leadoff force. 

Playing guys into their thirties is risky. Look at that lineup for the modern Cubs; they could all be fine, but they also could age quickly. Father Time continues to be undefeated. I’m not smart enough to predict the future, but it is likely that a decline will hit players as they hit their 30s. Going into this season, and then extending them, runs the risk of the 1985-type cliff. 

This is a risky proposition to write, by the way. This could be horribly wrong. Caissie and Ballesteros could be awesome and nobody declines, leading to a special 2026. None of the players on the current Cubs listed are especially likely to decline, but the room for internal improvement among those veterans is also shoddy. There’s no reason to expect this team to not make the playoffs in 2026, but it’s hard to see them improving on their 2025 finish.

Extending too many of these guys is the risk here. With Dansby Swanson locked up for three more seasons, the Cubs could become an old, lethargic lineup quickly. Long time fans will remember Ron Cey not as the solid defender he was in the 1970s with the Dodgers, but as a guy with a cool nickname (The Penguin) but no range and a declining bat. Keith Moreland was aging out of positions he could play and Larry Bowa hit 39 both in age and nearly his WRC (54 in 1985). 

The Cubs are in a tenuous position. They can’t just let everyone go; there’s just not enough in the system to replace them. But they can’t simply stand pat and cross their fingers, especially seeing as so many guys (Hoerner, Crow-Armstrong, Kelly, etc.) may have just peaked.

Jed Hoyer has a lot of tough decisions to make in this offseason and the next. If he chooses the wrong ones, we could be looking at another (smaller) teardown next summer as expiring contracts are dealt. If he presses the right buttons, Cub fans will be able to further trust him in the future.

As it was in 1984 it is today, though. After you make a big jump, the second jump is even harder to make than the first one. The Cubs made that jump this past season; they need to be creative and smart (and probably spend lots of cash) to avoid the 1985 team’s fate. They are nearing the runway. Can they stick the landing?