About

In 2013, the Houston Astros had the worst record in Major League Baseball. The team was, in the words of Sports Illustrated writer and creator of The Edge Ben Reiter, a “laughingstock.” Despite the lack of on-field talent, the Astros’ ownership believed they could mount a comeback—especially through the work of general manager Jeff Luhnow, who implemented cutthroat measures. The feel-good, worst-to-first story might have ended in 2017 when Houston won the World Series: an outcome that Reiter had predicted after embedding with the club. But then, the team became mired in a sign-stealing scandal. Houston had cheated right under Reiter’s nose. He feels personally responsible for missing it, given his knowledge of the organization, which makes him a compelling reporter for this retrospective. Reiter details destroyed careers and his perception that Luhnow valued wins over human decency. During one game, the Astros stole signs as Mike Bolsinger pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays, tagging him for four runs before he could record a single out. Bolsinger never played in the MLB again. The Edge is about the lengths people go to to win—which are much further than you think.

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