The Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Dodgers engaged in a series that felt like a World Series preview.

The Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Dodgers wrapped up a series on Sunday that felt like a World Series preview.

The Rangers (13-9) and the Dodgers (16-7) have won the last two World Series, respectively, and in their only meeting of the season the Dodgers won two of the three games.

Nothing was easy for either team. Los Angeles outscored Texas, 7-4, in the series and shut out the Rangers twice. The Rangers still had a winning homestand, thanks to their series sweep of the Los Angeles Angels.

Here are three takeaways from the series.

This Was a Playoff Series

Rangers manager Bruce Bochy resisted the question about whether this series was a “measuring stick” for his team.

But this was a playoff caliber series, right down to how both teams arranged their rotations. Both the Rangers and the Dodgers threw their aces and their best starters into the fray. The starting pitching was excellent for both teams. Hits were hard to come. Dramatics were not.

Witness Adolis Garcia on Saturday afternoon.

All three games were sellouts. Sure, there were plenty of Dodgers fans. But one kind of expects that with the Dodgers. Those fans travel well.

The series had a certain gravity. It pitted the last two World Series champions against each other on a weekend that felt more like it should be in late October than Easter weekend.

Joc’s Day Off

Joc Pederson needed a day off. During the media scrums this weekend Bochy talked about how he was chatting with Pederson and hoping to get him a day off. It finally worked out.

Josh Smith’s jammed thumb subsided, lessening the need for a second infielder. Once Wyatt Langford was activated, the Rangers got Pederson his day off. With the off day on Monday, it’ll be nearly three days off before the Athletics series begins.

Bochy is preaching patience with Pederson due to his track record. He said he’s seen nothing change in Pederson’s work ethic or personality that gives him pause. Bochy has always been a patient manager.

But, yes, a .055/.148/.073 slash isn’t going to cut it. Nor is an epic 0-for-38 drought that is the second longest in team history. The Rangers are hoping the break helps.

For the sake of being optimistic, here are Pederson’s splits in April and May of last year:

April: .231/.391/.442, two home runs, four RBI.

May: .324./377/.592, five home runs, 15 RBI.

May starts in less than two weeks. Hopefully he warms up sooner.

The Rangers are still scuffling on offense, which Bochy acknowledges. Critique him all you want, but there’s a good reason he’s backing his guys, he said on Sunday.

“You don’t have a choice,” he said.

Josh Smith, Leadoff Hitter?

Bochy hasn’t publicly contemplated major lineup changes, but one batter that isn’t having issues is Josh Smith. He had three hits on Sunday, has a six-game hitting streak and is batting .426 in April.

He feels like the prototypical leadoff hitter. He makes good contact, he gets on base, he has some pop and he can get into scoring position without anyone else’s help.

Marcus Semien is struggling, though he continues to make good contact. But the veteran is still batting under .200. With Corey Seager behind him batting .300 or better, the Rangers can’t afford to miss chances to get runners on base while the offense is still hit-or-miss.

Smith might make a good short-term leadoff hitter, which would allow Semien to slide lower in the order and get his bat moving in the right direction. Once he does, then the Rangers have some real flexibility at the top of the order.

The Rangers have a day off in Sacramento before Tuesday’s series with the Athletics begins. It’s something to ponder.