Every MLB Teams Top 5 Pitchers in 2024 Regular Season
Earlier this week, we highlighted every MLB team's top five position players of the 2024 season, and now it's time for the pitchers.
Whether it's a club headed for the postseason or one that has been out of the race for months, every team has at least a few standouts.
While the list is mostly made up of starting pitchers, a few relief pitchers made the cut, including a couple taking the No. 1 spot for their respective clubs.
Let the debate begin.
In case you missed it: Every MLB Team's Top 5 Position Players in 2024 Regular Season
Arizona Diamondbacks
1 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Zac Gallen
2. SP Brandon Pfaadt
3. RP Justin Martinez
4. SP Ryne Nelson
5. RP Kevin Ginkel
-A strained hamstring cost Zac Gallen a month during the first half of the season, but he has put together another strong overall season as the ace of the D-backs staff. The 29-year-old is 14-6 with a 3.65 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 156 strikeouts in 148 innings over 28 starts.
-With closer Paul Sewald struggling, the contributions of hard-throwing rookie Justin Martinez (63 GS, 8 SV, 9 HLD, 2.52 ERA, 11.4 K/9) and Kevin Ginkel (70 G, 5 SV, 18 HLD, 3.29 ERA, 9.9 K/9) have been all the more important in the late innings.
Atlanta Braves
2 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Chris Sale
2. RP Raisel Iglesias
3. SP Reynaldo López
4. SP Max Fried
5. SP Spencer Schwellenbach
-Has there been a more impactful offseason addition than Chris Sale? The 35-year-old has returned to ace form after several injury-plagued seasons in Boston, and he may finally take home a long-awaited Cy Young Award this year as he leads the NL in wins (18), ERA (2.38) and strikeouts (225).
-Rookie Spencer Schwellenbach made his MLB debut until May 29 and shored up what had been a revolving door at the back of the Atlanta rotation in the wake of Spencer Strider being lost for the year. The 24-year-old has a 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 122 strikeouts in 116.2 innings over 20 starts.
Baltimore Orioles
3 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Corbin Burnes
2. SP Grayson Rodriguez
3. SP Albert Suárez
4. RP Yennier Cano
5. SP Zach Eflin
-The Orioles acquired Corbin Burnes to fill the role of staff ace, and he has done just that in a terrific contract year. The 29-year-old has tossed 180 innings for the third consecutive season, going 15-8 with a 2.95 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 172 strikeouts in 189.1 innings. A massive payday awaits this winter.
-In nine starts since he was acquired at the trade deadline, Zach Eflin has gone 5-2 with a 2.60 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 55.1 innings. With Grayson Rodriguez out for the remainder of the season with a lat injury, his importance in the No. 2 starter role is magnified heading into the postseason.
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Boston Red Sox
4 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Tanner Houck
2. SP Kutter Crawford
3. SP Brayan Bello
4. RP Kenley Jansen
5. SP Nick Pivetta
-Despite hitting a rough patch when he struggled to a 5.18 ERA in his first seven starts coming out of the All-Star break, this has still been a breakout season for Tanner Houck atop the Red Sox rotation. The 28-year-old has a 3.12 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 154 strikeouts in 178.2 innings, and he was an All-Star for the first time in 2024.
-With a 4.21 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 166 strikeouts in 139 innings, Nick Pivetta has quietly had a solid contract year. He could end up landing a multi-year deal in free agency this winter thanks to his consistent ability to miss bats.
Chicago Cubs
5 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Shōta Imanaga
2. SP Justin Steele
3. SP Jameson Taillon
4. SP Javier Assad
5. RP Porter Hodge
-Shōta Imanaga has been a bit overshadowed by Paul Skenes and Jackson Merrill in the NL Rookie of the Year race during the second half, but he has had a fantastic debut in his own right. The 31-year-old is 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 174 strikeouts in 173.1 innings, and his 19 quality starts rank 11th in the majors.
-The Cubs bullpen has been inconsistent all season, but Porter Hodge has been a clear standout since making his MLB debut on May 22. The 23-year-old has a 1.98 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 11.0 K/9 with seven saves and nine holds in 37 appearances, and he has moved into the closer's role since Héctor Neris was released.
Chicago White Sox
6 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Garrett Crochet
2. SP Jonathan Cannon
3. SP Chris Flexen
4. RP Justin Anderson
5. RP Jared Shuster
-Since Garrett Crochet has blown past his previous career-high in innings pitched in his first season as a starter, the White Sox have closely monitored his workload during the second half, limiting him to four or fewer innings in each of his last 13 starts. He has a 3.68 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 203 strikeouts in 142 innings.
-Rookie Jonathan Cannon has been a subtle bright spot for arguably the worst team in baseball history, posting a 4.37 ERA in 119.1 innings while potentially staking claim to a rotation spot in 2025.
Cincinnati Reds
7 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Hunter Greene
2. SP/RP Nick Martinez
3. SP Andrew Abbott
4. SP Nick Lodolo
5. RP Fernando Cruz
-Hunter Greene was hit harder than his electric stuff might suggest during his first two seasons in the majors with a 4.62 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 8.1 hits allowed per nine innings over 237.2 innings. The 25-year-old has taken a major step forward this year, pitching to a 2.83 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 166 strikeouts in 146.1 innings while surrendering just 5.8 hits per nine innings.
-Veteran swingman Nick Martinez has been a valuable piece of the pitching staff with a 3.22 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 113 strikeouts in 134.1 innings over 15 starts and 26 relief appearances. He has a $12 million player option for the 2025 season, but he should be able to secure a larger guarantee on the open market.
Cleveland Guardians
8 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. RP Emmanuel Clase
2. SP Tanner Bibee
3. RP Hunter Gaddis
4. RP Cade Smith
5. SP Ben Lively
-Flame-throwing closer Emmanuel Clase has put together one of the best single-season performances by a reliever in MLB history in 2024. The 26-year-old has a Cleveland franchise record 47 saves in 50 chances, and he has pitched to a pristine 0.61 ERA and 0.66 WHIP in 73.1 innings over 73 appearances. He could be runner-up to Tarik Skubal in AL Cy Young balloting.
-Right-hander Ben Lively has provided a huge boost to the Cleveland rotation by chewing up 147 innings while going 13-9 with a 3.80 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 28 starts. The 32-year-old debuted back in 2017 with the Phillies, but he did not appear in the big leagues in 2020, 2021 or 2022 before resurfacing with the Reds a year ago.
Colorado Rockies
9 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Austin Gomber
2. SP Ryan Feltner
3. SP Cal Quantrill
4. RP Victor Vodnik
5. SP Kyle Freeland
-Austin Gomber (30 GS, 4.75 ERA, 96 ERA+, 165.0 IP), Ryan Feltner (29 GS, 4.66 ERA, 98 ERA+, 156.1 IP) and Cal Quantrill (28 GS, 4.72 ERA, 97 ERA+, 145.0 IP) are largely interchangeable as the "best" pitcher on a Rockies staff that ranks last in the majors with a 5.40 ERA.
-The Rockies acquired Victor Vodnik in the deal that sent Pierce Johnson to the Atlanta Braves at the 2023 trade deadline. He has a 4.11 ERA and nine saves in 62 appearances as the most consistent option out of the Colorado bullpen.
Detroit Tigers
10 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Tarik Skubal
2. SP Reese Olson
3. RP Tyler Holton
4. RP Jason Foley
5. SP Casey Mize
-AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal is currently the leader in all three AL pitching Triple Crown categories. After tossing seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, he is now 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 228 strikeouts in 192 innings over 31 starts.
-Lefty reliever Tyler Holton has put together back-to-back 3-WAR seasons out of the Detroit bullpen, posting a 2.22 ERA and 0.78 WHIP with eight saves and 13 holds. The 28-year-old has worked 93.1 total innings, recording more than three outs in 37 of his 65 appearances.
Houston Astros
11 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Framber Valdez
2. SP Hunter Brown
3. SP Ronel Blanco
4. RP Josh Hader
5. RP Bryan Abreu
-Left-hander Framber Valdez is making a strong case for his third straight Top 10 finish in AL Cy Young balloting. In 28 starts, he has gone 15-7 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 169 strikeouts in 176.1 innings, and he will be entering a contract year in 2025 as one of the top pitchers set to hit the open market during the 2025-26 offseason.
-At various points this season, Ronel Blanco and Hunter Brown have both stepped up as the best pitcher on the Houston staff, propping up a rotation that has dealt with a long list of injuries. Brown, 26, has a 2.26 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 74 strikeouts in 71.2 innings since the All-Star break.
Kansas City Royals
12 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Seth Lugo
2. SP Cole Ragans
3. SP Michael Wacha
4. SP Brady Singer
5. RP Lucas Erceg
-There is a strong case to be made that Seth Lugo (32 GS, 16-9, 3.03 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 178 K, 204.2 IP) and Cole Ragans (32 GS, 11-9, 3.14 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 223 K, 186.1 IP) have been the best one-two punch in baseball this season.
-The Royals have enjoyed terrific health from their starting rotation this year, with Lugo, Ragans, Brady Singer, Michael Wacha and Alec Marsh accounting for 147 of 158 starts heading into Thursday's action. That has been the single biggest reason for their rise to contention after a 106-loss season in 2023.
Los Angeles Angels
13 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Tyler Anderson
2. SP José Soriano
3. RP Ben Joyce
4. RP Hunter Strickland
5. SP Griffin Canning
-After a rocky first season in an Angels uniform, Tyler Anderson rebounded to post a 3.70 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 140 strikeouts in 175 innings while earning his second All-Star selection in the last three years. The 34-year-old is owed $13 million next year in the final season of a three-year, $39 million deal, and he could be a trade candidate this offseason.
-Ben Joyce has been lighting up radar guns since his days at the University of Tennessee, and he has averaged 102.1 mph with his fastball this season while posting a 2.08 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 8.6 K/9 in 31 appearances. He took over as the team's closer after Carlos Estévez was traded at the deadline.
Los Angeles Dodgers
14 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Tyler Glasnow
2. SP Gavin Stone
3. SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto
4. RP Alex Vesia
5. SP Jack Flaherty
-Tyler Glasnow (134.0 IP) and Gavin Stone (140.1 IP) are the only pitchers on the Dodgers staff who will reach 100 innings pitched this year, and neither will be available for the postseason as they are sidelined with injuries. It's not often a team is able to navigate that level of turnover in the starting rotation and still be a postseason contender.
-Alex Vesia has been one of the best lefty relievers in baseball this season with a 1.79 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 11.7 K/9 with five saves and 13 holds in 66 appearances. The 28-year-old has allowed just 32 hits in 65.1 innings, limiting opposing hitters to a .146 batting average.
Miami Marlins
15 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Ryan Weathers
2. SP Valente Bellozo
3. RP Calvin Faucher
4. RP Anthony Bender
5. RP Declan Cronin
-With Eury Perez and Sandy Alcántara sidelined for the entire 2024 season, and Jesús Luzardo and Braxton Garrett both suffering season-ending injuries in June, the Marlins pitching staff has been a shell of what it was a year ago when they snuck into the playoffs.
-Ryan Weathers was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2018 draft by the San Diego Padres, and the Marlins acquired him at the deadline last year in the deal that sent All-Star first baseman Garrett Cooper the other way. The 24-year-old has done enough in 15 starts and 80.1 innings of work this year to have a good shot at winning a rotation spot next spring.
Milwaukee Brewers
16 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Freddy Peralta
2. SP Tobias Myers
3. RP Devin Williams
4. RP Trevor Megill
5. SP Colin Rea
-Not long ago, Freddy Peralta was the best No. 3 starter in baseball pitching behind Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff in the Milwaukee rotation. He slid into the staff ace role this year and has gone 11-9 with a 3.68 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 200 strikeouts in 173.2 innings, though he has also issued a NL-high 68 walks.
-Tip of the cap to the unheralded duo of Tobias Myers (25 GS, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 134.0 IP) and Colin Rea (26 GS, 4.17 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 162.0 IP) for the job they have done stabilizing the rotation behind Peralta. Their production has gone a long way toward easing the loss of Burnes after he was traded during the offseason.
Minnesota Twins
17 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Pablo López
2. RP Griffin Jax
3. SP Bailey Ober
4. SP Joe Ryan
5. SP Simeon Woods Richardson
-Prior to getting lit up for nine hits and seven earned runs over four innings last Sunday, Pablo López had put together a terrific 12-start run where he posted a 2.11 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 76.2 innings. The 28-year-old became the de facto ace of the staff after Sonny Gray departed in free agency.
-Right-hander Griffin Jax has been one of baseball's most dominant relievers, posting a 2.06 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and a terrific 93-to-15 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 70 innings while tallying 10 saves and 24 holds in 71 appearances. He has three more years of club control remaining and will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter.
New York Mets
18 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Sean Manaea
2. SP Luis Severino
3. SP David Peterson
4. SP José Quintana
5. RP Edwin Díaz
-Sean Manaea is closing out the 2024 season on a high note, as he has recorded nine quality starts in his last 11 outings, posting a 2.63 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and .155 opponents' batting average during that span. The 32-year-old is a lock to decline his $13.5 million player option for next year, which would make him one of the top arms on the market this winter.
-Despite some rocky stretches, Edwin Díaz is still missing plenty of bats this season. The 30-year-old has a 3.35 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 13.9 K/9 with 20 saves in 26 chances, but only one of those blown saves has come during the second half of the season.
New York Yankees
19 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Luis Gil
2. SP Nestor Cortes
3. SP Carlos Rodón
4. RP Luke Weaver
5. SP Marcus Stroman
-Who would have guessed when Luis Gil made the Opening Day roster as an injury replacement for Gerrit Cole that he would be the team's most productive pitcher in 2024? The 26-year-old is the favorite for AL Rookie of the Year honors, and he has gone 15-6 with a 3.27 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 166 strikeouts in 146 innings over 28 starts.
-The one-year, $2 million deal given to Luke Weaver during the offseason has turned out to be one of the most important moves of the winter for the Yankees. The starter-turned-reliever has a 2.93 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 11.0 K/9 with four saves and 22 holds in 61 appearances.
Oakland Athletics
20 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. RP Mason Miller
2. SP JP Sears
3. SP Mitch Spence
4. SP Joey Estes
5. SP/RP Osvaldo Bido
-Originally developed as a starter, Mason Miller shifted to the bullpen after returning from injury last season, and he has been lights-out in the closer's role this year. The 26-year-old rookie has a 2.30 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 14.2 K/9 with 27 saves in 29 chances over 53 appearances.
-Rule 5 selection Mitch Spence (34 G, 23 GS, 4.35 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 147.0 IP) and bargain signing Osvaldo Bido (16 G, 9 GS, 3.41 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 63.1 IP) have been nice under-the-radar pickups for the Athletics this season. Bido signed a one-year, $750,000 MLB deal in free agency, while Spence was plucked from the Yankees organization.
Philadelphia Phillies
21 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Zack Wheeler
2. SP Aaron Nola
3. SP Cristopher Sánchez
4. SP Ranger Suárez
5. RP Jeff Hoffman
-In the final season of his original five-year, $118 million deal before his extension kicks in next year, Zack Wheeler is putting the finishing touches on one of the best nine-figure deals ever given to a starting pitcher. With a 2.56 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 213 strikeouts in 193.2 innings, he is the biggest competition to Chris Sale in the NL Cy Young race.
-It was extremely difficult leaving Matt Strahm off the list, as the 2024 All-Star has a 1.93 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 11.3 K/9 in 64 innings. For the sake of argument, call him "5A" alongside Jeff Hoffman, with that tandem anchoring a vastly improved Philadelphia relief corps.
Pittsburgh Pirates
22 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Paul Skenes
2. SP Mitch Keller
3. SP/RP Luis L. Ortiz
4. SP Bailey Falter
5. SP Jared Jones
-The Pirates trimmed almost a full run of their starting pitching ERA while going from 24th (4.88) to 15th (3.93) in the majors in that category, and the immediate success of rookies Paul Skenes and Jared Jones is the biggest reason for that significant improvement.
-Since moving into the starting rotation in early July, Luis L. Ortiz has logged a 3.35 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and just 59 hits allowed in 80.2 innings. The 25-year-old is overshadowed by some of his teammates, but he's an exciting young arm in his own right with club control through 2029.
San Diego Padres
23 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Dylan Cease
2. SP Michael King
3. RP Robert Suárez
4. SP Joe Musgrove
5. SP Yu Darvish
-The Padres essentially swapped out Juan Soto for Dylan Cease and Michael King as far as the major additions and subtractions of their offseason were concerned. And thanks to the emergence of Jurickson Profar and Jackson Merrill in the outfield, they have been a more well-rounded team because of it.
-Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish have made just 33 combined starts and tallied 169.2 combined innings, so there is an argument to be made for swapping them out in favor of late-inning relievers Jeremiah Estrada and Adrián Morejón, who held things down in a setup role before the bullpen was revamped at the trade deadline.
San Francisco Giants
24 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Logan Webb
2. SP Blake Snell
3. RP Ryan Walker
4. RP Tyler Rogers
5. SP Kyle Harrison
-There are few true workhorses in the game today, and Logan Webb deserves the distinction after recording at least 32 starts and 190 innings for the third consecutive season atop the Giants rotation. The 27-year-old also earned a long-overdue first All-Star selection and should show up on his fair share of NL Cy Young ballots.
-One of the best under-the-radar performances of the 2024 season belongs to reliever Ryan Walker, who has a 1.94 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 11.3 K/9 in 75 appearances while tallying nine wins, 10 saves and 21 holds. The 28-year-old has plugged a major hole at the back of the bullpen after Camilo Doval was demoted from the closer's role.
Seattle Mariners
25 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Logan Gilbert
2. SP Bryce Miller
3. SP George Kirby
4. SP Luis Castillo
5. SP Bryan Woo
-The Mariners lead the majors with a 3.41 ERA from their starting rotation, and the five pitchers listed above have accounted for 147 of 159 starts on the year. Each of them has an ERA below 4.00 and a WHIP below 1.20, as it has unquestionably been the best rotation in baseball top to bottom.
-Closer Andres Munoz would have been an easy choice for almost any other team. A first-time All-Star in 2024, he has a 2.12 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 11.7 K/9 with 22 saves in 27 chances thanks to an electric fastball that averages 98.4 mph and a wipeout slider that has generated a 48.5 percent whiff rate.
St. Louis Cardinals
26 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. RP Ryan Helsley
2. SP Sonny Gray
3. SP/RP Andre Pallante
4. RP Andrew Kittredge
5. SP Kyle Gibson
-With his 48th save of the season on Wednesday, Ryan Helsley tied Trevor Rosenthal for the Cardinals' single-season franchise record. The 30-year-old has just four blown saves to go along with that gaudy total, and he has pitched to a 2.07 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 10.6 K/9 in 64 appearances.
-Veteran Sonny Gray had a 2.81 ERA in 83.1 innings over his first 14 starts of the season, but he has a 4.88 ERA in 83.0 innings over his last 14 starts, making his Cardinals debut something of a mixed bag. He has still been the best starter on the staff in the first season of a three-year, $75 million deal.
Tampa Bay Rays
27 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Zack Littell
2. SP Ryan Pepiot
3. RP Edwin Uceta
4. SP Taj Bradley
5. RP Kevin Kelly
-With Shane McClanahan sidelined for the entire season, Jeffrey Springs limited to seven starts, Drew Rasmussen returning from injury in a relief role and Zach Eflin traded at the deadline, the Rays rotation has looked quite different from a year ago.
-Reliever Edwin Uceta has been a nice bargain-bin find after signing a minor league deal in December. The former Dodgers prospect has a 1.55 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 12.4 K/9 with four saves and seven holds in 29 appearances.
Texas Rangers
28 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. RP Kirby Yates
2. SP Nathan Eovaldi
3. SP Andrew Heaney
4. RP David Robertson
5. SP Cody Bradford
-An All-Star closer for the San Diego Padres in 2019, Kirby Yates battled through three injury-plagued seasons before turning a productive comeback with the Braves in 2023 into a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Rangers. The 37-year-old has nailed down 31 of 32 save chances with a 1.21 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 12.7 K/9 in 59 appearances.
-The top four pitchers on this list are all either free agents or capable of becoming free agents by way of contract options, so the Rangers have work to do rebuilding the pitching staff this winter. The emergence of Kumar Rocker should give them a building block in the rotation.
Toronto Blue Jays
29 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP José Berríos
2. SP Kevin Gausman
3. SP Bowden Francis
4. SP Yariel Rodríguez
5. RP Chad Green
-The durability of José Berríos is not talked about enough. The 30-year-old has taken his turn in the rotation every time since the start of the 2018 season, posting a 3.87 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 1,198.2 innings during that stretch. He is 16-10 with a 3.38 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 149 strikeouts in 189.1 innings this year.
-Bright spots have been few and far between for the Blue Jays this season, but it looks like they've found a solid rotation piece in Bowden Francis. Since becoming a regular member of the starting staff on Aug. 7, he has a 1.53 ERA, 0.53 WHIP and 56 strikeouts in 59.0 innings over nine starts.
Washington Nationals
30 of 30
Top 5 Pitchers
1. SP Jake Irvin
2. RP Kyle Finnegan
3. SP MacKenzie Gore
4. SP Mitchell Parker
5. RP Derek Law
-Right-hander Jake Irvin has been the unsung hero of the Nationals staff, making 32 starts and posting a 4.22 ERA and a 153-to-49 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 183.1 innings of work. His 1.18 WHIP ranks eighth among qualified NL starters, ahead of guys such as Max Fried, Freddy Peralta, Logan Webb and others.
-Veteran reliever Derek Law may have pitched well enough this season to earn himself a MLB deal this time around in free agency. The 34-year-old has a 2.68 ERA and 16 holds in 72 appearances after signing a minor league deal each of the past four offseasons.
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