Adolis García goes supernova, and the Texas Rangers are off to the World Series

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Slugger Adolis García’s ALCS for the ages powers the Rangers to the World Series

Down the stretch of the MLB regular season, and into the playoffs, many believed the Texas Rangers were driven by a “Higher” power.

As it turns out, they were right, just not in the way they first believed.

Yes, Creed might have been in the building for Game 3 of the ALCS between the Rangers and the Houston Astros, but the true higher power that propelled the Rangers to their third World Series appearance? Slugger Adolis García. “El Bombi” went supernova in the ALCS, and in particular the final few games, as the Rangers closed out the Astros.

Consider his statline in Game 7 alone Monday night. García went 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs and five RBI. He led off the top of the third inning with an opposite-field blast to stake the Rangers to a 4-1 lead:

As noted by MLB’s social media team, this blast is exactly what the “ump cam” was intended for:

And yes, that is a fastball in the upper 90s over the outer third of the plate that García not only gets his hands to, but drives the other way for a solo shot. This is clinic tape for young hitters, and when I say that, I mean it. Believe me, I’ll be showing the 13U team I coach this clip on Thursday night ahead of their next game.

Of course, García was not done:

In the eighth, García took advantage of a breaking ball left high enough in the zone, and dropped it into the bleachers in left field, giving the Rangers an eight-run lead, and sending many of the Astros fans left at Minute Maid Park streaming towards the exits.

By the time his night was over, we could truly take stock of his incredible series, and playoff run as he earned MVP honors for the ALCS:

Yes, those 15 RBI during the ALCS are a new postseason record:

In addition, the incomparable Sarah Langs pulled together some notes that truly put García’s playoff run into focus. The 20 RBI García has to this point in the playoffs are the most ever for a player before the World Series. He is now just one of four players — along with Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi, and Yogi Berra — with two home runs in a Game 7. Of the top three players in RBI over a single postseason, García trails only David Freese, adn by a single RBI:

And to cap it all off, the series was not lacking for some intensity. After García launched a three-run shot in Game 5 to put the Rangers ahead, his slow walk out of the box and spiking of the bat — culminating with an emphatic touching of home plate — drew the Astros’ ire:

The next time he came to the plate, he was drilled by a 98-mph fastball from Bryan Abreu, and immediately had words for catcher Martin Maldonado as the benches cleared

Both Abreu and García were ejected, and Abreu was given a suspension that he will serve at the start of the regular season after he appealed the decision.

And while the Astros would go on to win Game 5, Texas went on to win the series on Monday night.

Sparked by their true higher power.