Adolis García's winding road to Texas Rangers stardom

The big picture: García's baseball prospects were nearly extinguished when every Major League team passed on him after the Rangers designated him for assignment in 2021.

• Fortunately, because no one picked him up, the Rangers kept him. García went on to have a great rookie season and has become our postseason king.

What happened: García played five seasons in the Cuban national league before playing one season in Japan. The St. Louis Cardinals picked him up in a minor league deal in 2017.

• The Rangers acquired García in 2019 from the Cardinals for cash considerations — a total steal.

The latest: García's performance at the plate has been crucial to getting the Rangers into the World Series.

The intrigue: García is tied with Corey Seager for the second most RBIs during a single postseason. Seager's RBIs are from his 2020 playoffs run with the World Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers.

• García and Seager's 20 RBIs fall behind David Freese's 21 RBIs with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. Remember him?

Yes, but: García's total is over just 12 games. Freese and Seager's tallies are for 18 games.

• There's time.

State of slam: His seven home runs this postseason are the second most of any Ranger. Nelson Cruz has the most with eight. Remember him?

• García homered in four straight games against Houston, including a grand slam in Game 6, earning him the fourth-longest home run streak in an MLB postseason.
• He was named 2023's ALCS Most Valuable Player.

The bottom line: The Cardinals may have gone lights out on the Rangers in the 2011 World Series, but St. Louis is also to thank for the Rangers' return.