This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/rangers as Scouting Department Was Key To Rangers' Successful Trade Deadline. The Texas Rangers were one of the biggest mysteries heading into the trade deadline.

The Texas Rangers entered Thursday at 57-52 and in a tie with the Seattle Mariners for the third American League Wild Card spot.

Some things were pretty obvious after the dust from 52 trades in the final 48 hours before the deadline: The Rangers worked to strengthen a strength, largely because it’s what they could do. They didn’t have the capital to fix all the issues with the offense; either guys will get hot for a bit or the playoff hopes will shrivel.