HOUSTON – It’s been a remarkable postseason run for former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Adolis García, powering the Texas Rangers to their first World Series bid since their Fall Classic clash with the Cardinals in 2011.

The Rangers won a winner-take-all Game 7 of the American League Championship series in blowout fashion, 11-4, over the defending champion Houston Astros on Monday.

García enjoyed a performance for the ages, driving in five runs behind four hits, including two home runs, in Game 7 alone. In Game 6, the first of two games with Texas on the brink of elimination, García packed a punch late with a ninth-inning grand slam in Texas’ 9-2 win over the Astros.

During the entire seven-game series, García slugged five big flies and drove in 15 runs, many in timely situations. Adding to it all, the road team ended up on top in each of the series’ seven games for just the second time in MLB postseason history.

García officially earned ALCS MVP, and his 15 RBI also break a record for most runs driven in during one individual postseason series.

“He’s a bad man, isn’t he?,” said Rangers shortstop Corey Seager on García’s success during a postgame interview.

In recent years, García is often remembered as the one that got away from the Cardinals. Originally signed as a free agent out of Cuba, García earned an MLB promotion in 2018 and didn’t find too much success with the Cardinals. After the 2019 campaign, buried in the outfielder depth chart, he was designated for assignment and later traded to the Rangers for cash considerations. No other players or picks, just cash.

Texas called up García late in 2020, but he struggled a bit again in limited opportunities. The Rangers then, believe it or not, designated García for assignment in February 2021 for Mike Foltynewicz. Unclaimed his second time around, it was a learning experience that later paid off big for him and Texas.

García has earned two All-Star nods since then and has ranked among the American League’s best players in HR and RBI in each of the last three seasons.

His success follows that of close friend and former minor-league teammate Randy Arozarena, who shined in the 2020 postseason. Arozarena was named ALCS MVP of that year and ended up leading the Rays to a World Series berth.