Toronto manager John Gibbons isn't putting too much emphasis on the Blue Jays' first meeting with Texas since last season's American League Division Series.

"This is a new year, 2016. That's over with," Gibbons said before Toronto's home game against the Rangers on Monday night.

The four-game series will culminate Thursday with a fan T-shirt giveaway commemorating the Blue Jays' emotionally-charged Game 5 victory over Texas in last-year's playoffs.

In that game, before a boisterous sell-out crowd at Rogers Centre, Texas took a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh inning before Toronto rallied with a monstrous three-run home run from Jose Bautista -- followed by an emphatic bat flip -- to take the lead in the bottom of the frame.

The Blue Jays were down 2-0 in the best-of-five series but won Games 3 and 4 in Arlington before taking the decisive fifth game.

Seven months later, Toronto sits third in the AL East with a 12-14 record. Gibbons acknowledged that when asked of the impact the ALDS win had on his team.

"Well if you look where we're standing right now, not much," Gibbons said with a laugh. "To be honest with you, the way that year turned out, that run we got on after the trades, to go out in the first round would have been disappointing to everybody.

"We all thought we were better than that. But I tip my hat to our guys, we were down two games and we came back and ended up winning so yeah, I think that was big."

Gibbons said he didn't fully appreciate the Blue Jays' 2015 playoff run, the team's first since 1993, until well into the off-season.

Thinking about it Monday night, he couldn't help but smile as he leaned back in his chair and rattled off memories of the series.

"Our backs against the wall (in Game 3) we turn to our guy, (Marco) Estrada. He'd always come through at the right time," Gibbons said. "And that was that game that Tulo (Troy Tulowitzki) hit that home run to give us breathing room late. Then that next game, we came out swinging and held them off there at the end."

"Really that whole time in the playoffs I don't think I got to enjoy any of it because it was hectic and it was go-go-go-go, that kind of thing," he added. "When you finally get away from it you reflect on some things and you appreciate it more.

"That last game was definitely a crazy game but it was one of those series. We fell down and the guys battled back, you know? That's what that group does out there."