After a rough month when he batted only .144, Odor was sent back to Class AAA Round Rock to work on pitch selection. He had 25 strikeouts in 90 at-bats to go with only seven walks.

Refusing to grow despondent over his demotion, Odor rediscovered his swing in the minors and came back as one of the better second basemen in the major leagues. On the day he returned, June 15, he went 3 for 3, and from there until the end of the season he batted .292 with 15 home runs, 52 runs batted in and an .861 on-base plus slugging percentage.

Over all, he batted .261 with 21 doubles, 16 home runs, 61 R.B.I. and a .465 slugging percentage. The 16 home runs were the second-most by a second baseman under the age of 22, according to the Rangers’ statistical information. The Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski had 19 in 1958.

Some of Odor’s postseason accomplishments, based on age, are also remarkable. In Game 1, he became the third-youngest player to homer in his first postseason game. The youngest was a 21-year-old Jimmy Sebring for the 1903 Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series, and Brian McCann did it for the Atlanta Braves at 21 in the 2005 National League division series, 19 days younger than Odor.

Odor’s home run, off David Price, was merely one moment. Odor had so many in Toronto it was difficult to keep track. Before the homer in Game 1, he was hit by pitches twice and scored both times, willing himself, as Banister noted, the next 270 feet.

In Game 2, he was even better. In the second inning, he walked, and then, when Chris Gimenez hit a high chopper, Odor noticed no one was covering third, and he passed second base in full stride and did not stop running until he slid safely into third.