Dodgers' World Series offensive failures could impact their plans for 2026

As the Los Angeles Dodgers prepare for Game 6 of the 2025 World Series on Friday night, perhaps it's appropriate that the game is being played on Halloween. After all, the Dodgers offense has been absolutely horrifying in the Fall Classic.

While the Dodgers rolled into the World Series, losing just one game in the previous three rounds, it's now clear that stellar pitching has covered up what has become a weakness for the defending world champions. In the National League Division Series, Championship Series and World Series games, the Dodgers are slashing a combined .214/.306/.360 in those 13 contests. The numbers drop even more with runners in scoring position, with the Dodgers posting a .544 OPS.

Those numbers are coming even with the Dodgers having an MVP-laden lineup. However, with the lights shining the brightest as October comes to a close, those former MVPs are struggling.

Yes, Shohei Ohtani is hitting .316 with three home runs in the World Series, but he's 2-for-15 outside of his eye-popping Game 3 performance. Freddie Freeman was the hero in the Game 3 marathon with his walkoff homer, but he's 3-for-13 in the other games. Mookie Betts is 3-for-23 in the World Series, continuing what has been a down season.

The Los Angeles lineup was supposed to be deep enough that even slumps by the biggest names could be overcome. However, we're seeing in the World Series that that simply isn't reality when other parts of the lineup are struggling as well.

Credit the Toronto Blue Jays and their pitching for handcuffing the Dodgers through the first five games as Toronto is just one win away from its first title in 32 years. However, as good as the Blue Jays have been on the mound, the Dodgers have been that putrid at the plate.

The stench coming out of Chavez Ravine the last three days as the Dodgers combined to score just nine runs in 36 innings could well carry over to Toronto for Game 6 ... and into the offseason spending plans for Los Angeles as well.

Dodgers could pursue top free agents if they lose Fall Classic

If the Dodgers indeed fall short of winning it all in 2025, expect Los Angeles to double down on its efforts to be back on top of MLB's mountain in 2026. That includes pursuing the top free agents on the market to boost the lineup.

Rumors are already swirling about the Dodgers pursuing Kyle Tucker this offseason, potentially adding the top offensive free agent to their lineup for 2026. Tucker's 143 OPS+ this season would have ranked third on the Dodgers this season behind Ohtani's 179 and Will Smith's 152, giving Los Angeles (in that alternate universe) another top weapon.

The Dodgers will likely look for any way possible to boost their position-player weaknesses this offseason. That quest could be magnified if the Dodgers not only fall in the World Series, but also don't perform well at the plate in the process.

The offseason will be here soon, and the Dodgers could enter it with the pain of their offensive failures still fresh in their minds. That motivation may push the Dodgers to do whatever they can and spend whatever they must to ensure they don't feel that way again when the 2026 postseason concludes.