The Texas Rangers were eight games back of the Houston Astros for the AL West lead on Aug. 1, but a late-season run of epic proportions vaulted them back into the pennant chase and the postseason party for the first time since 2012.
On Thursday, the Rangers secured a playoff spot with a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. The victory also shrank their magic number to clinch the AL West down to one.
ESPN Stats & Info broke down just how improbable the Rangers' return to the postseason is by referencing their early-season struggles:
Rangers were 8-16 on May 3.