5 Dodgers players the Rangers should target following LA's shocking playoff defeat

It's been a few days, but it's still surprising that the Los Angeles Dodgers' season came to an end the way it did. There's no doubt that the Milwaukee Brewers were a worthy opponent, but for Los Angeles who had eyes on a threepeat to get sweept was certainly surprising. That's going to be a catalyst for change in Hollywood, and the Texas Rangers would be wise to see if they can capitalize.

With that in mind, there are a few Dodgers players who stand out as guys the Rangers should target either via free agency or trade to bolster their roster. Tarik Skubal would be lovely, but that's not going to happen; instead, every player on this list is within the realm of realism.

The Rangers should make a play for these five Dodgers players this offseason

Catcher Dalton Rushing

Heading into the trade deadline, ESPN's super guru Jeff Passan named Dalton Rushing as the Rangers' dream trade target. At the time, it was more a hypothetical than a realistic option. Now, things have changed a bit. Rushing would still be expensive to acquire, but the Dodgers might be more willing to talk trade.

Rushing was left off Los Angeles's postseason roster last year in favor of journeyman veteran Ben Rortvedt. This year, he got bumped again by top prospect Josue De Paula. The issue for the former top prospect is a matter of timing. Three-time All-Star Will Smith is under contract through 2033, meaning he's not relinquishing starting catcher duties any time soon. Rushing has to be moved sooner rather than later, then.

With a .246/.328/.460 line in 2026, the 25-year-old is better than anything else Texas has behind the plate. He'd also fit Chris Young's vision of getting younger and more dynamic. The Rangers would have to part with some prospect capital, though the price has certainly decreased. On top of that, Danny Jansen might have some value to the Dodgers as a more suitable backup for Smith, allowing the Rangers to cut some salary by throwing him into the package.

Rushing is a left-handed-hitting backstop, meaning the right-handed Logan O'Hoppe can be his caddy against tough southpaws, giving Texas an exciting young combo behind the plate for years to come.

Outfielder Alex Call

While Evan Carter is a Gold Glove finalist, his performance at the plate leaves much to be desired. While his .657 OPS against righties was nothing to write home about, his .329 mark against southpaws was so ghastly that he should never again be given the opportunity to face them.

A relatively low-cost platoon partner could be Alex Call, who was the subject of many trade rumors around the deadline and once again is thought to be a guy that Los Angeles looks to move. The 32-year-old is a right-handed hitter who can play all three outfield spots and slashed .290/.408/.419 against lefties in 2026. He has a .762 OPS against southpaws for his career.

Reliever Evan Phillips

From 2018 through 2021, Evan Phillips was the epitome of a journeyman. Just breaking into the league, he bounced from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Atlanta Braves to the Baltimore Orioles before finally landing with the Dodgers. From there, Los Angeles turned him into a quality high-leverage reliever. However, in May of 2025, Phillips tore his UCL and underwent Tommy John surgery.

The right-hander returned to action on July 7 of this year, and at first things were ugly. Over his first eight appearances of the season, he allowed five earned runs that largely came on the back of four homers, and posted a 6.14 ERA over 7 1/3 innings. However, once the calendar flipped to August, he began dominating again, recording a 2.41 ERA over 18 2/3 innings from August 1 until the end of the regular season.

Phillips' year closed with a 31.1% strikeout rate against just a 5.7% walk rate. Not only would he be an improvement to the Rangers' bullpen and help secure the bridge to Jacob Latz in the late innings, but he'd also bring the kind of swing-and-miss stuff that most of the relief corps is sorely missing.

Infielder Alex Freeland

Once a top prospect, Alex Freeland has struggled to find his footing with LA over the past two seasons. The Dodgers have employed the likes of veterans Kiké Hernandez and Miguel Rojas over the years and also spent a decent chunk of change to import Hyeseong Kim from the KBO. Now, it could be change-of-scenery time for Freeland.

Still just 25 years old, Freeland can play all over the infield, but has gotten the majority of his reps at second base. He's a switch hitter with some ability to threaten on the bases and a patient approach at the plate where he rarely chases. The switch-hitter thing is almost a misnomer, though, as Los Angeles has almost exclusively used him against right-handed pitching. This year against righties, he hit .253/.351/.354 over 234 plate appearances. Conversely, he slashed just .121/.171/.152, while receiving just 35 plate appearances against lefties.

It's still up in the air how Texas wants to fill second base in 2027, as well as how the bench will be constructed. It could make a lot of sense to have Justin Foscue start at second against lefties, making Freeland a platoon partner with a reasonable floor and a high ceiling if his former prospect potential can be unlocked in Arlington. He could also be used to fill the role that Nicky Lopez played in 2026.

Reliever Alex Vesia

One of the biggest issues that plagued the Rangers in 2026 was a lack of reliability in the bullpen. Heading into the offseason, the unit looks even shakier than it did at points this year, when it was really the club's Achilles heel. That's especially true when you're talking about the left-handed options out of the pen.

Tyler Alexander is a free agent, and while he was a valuable piece for Texas in 2026, he's also been a typically volatile middle reliever. Robert Garcia is back, though he's had his issues in high-leverage, and his 2.41 ERA is a bit misleading given his putrid 15.5% strikeout rate and elevated 12.7% walk rate.

Alex Vesia has been one of the game's most reliable late-inning lefties over the last several years with the Dodgers, and 2026 was no different. He made 72 appearances and tossed 58 innings, recording a 2.64 ERA that was supported by a 31.2% strikeout rate. He can walk a few too many batters, posting a 13.5% walk rate in 2026 and an 11.5% mark for his career, but ultimately he gets batters out and would be a much more reliable option than Robby Ahlstrom or Adam Macko.

Vesia should generate a lot of interest on the free-agent market, but fortunately he doesn't have the closer pedigree, so the bidding shouldn't get too out of hand. The Rangers would have to pony up, but for an arm like his, it would be worth it.

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