How J.D. Martinez Became a Red Sox Superstar—And the Astros' Greatest Mistake

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In the following exclusive adaptation from ASTROBALL, SI senior writer Ben Reiter discusses how the usually keen Astros made one of their greatest mistakes—cutting current Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez. Of the 250 pieces of luggage that Red Sox clubhouse attendants keep track of during every road trip, one is most important. “If we lose that bag, we’ll be in trouble,” says Alex Cora, the rookie manager of a club that as of Aug. 5 had a major-league-leading record of 79–34 and that was on pace for 113 wins, fourth most in baseball history.

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