Category: New York Yankees

Yankees Legend John Sterling Opens Up About Sudden Retirement From Broadcasting
12 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Yankees Legend John Sterling Opens Up About Sudden Retirement From Broadcasting

Longtime New York Yankees play-by-play announcer John Sterling shocked the baseball world in April when he suddenly announced his retirement from broadcasting.

The 85-year-old called a few games this season—his 36th year with the Yankees—before making the decision to retire, effective immediately.

"I really knew it in my heart. I should've announced it in spring training or before spring training," Sterling said to Jon Heyman on The Show podcast. "But I figured I'd give it a shot. I was going to do a limited schedule—maybe 100 games, 110 games or whatever. I just found it very tough to keep going to the ball games.

"My boss—the [Audacy New York] general manager, terrific guy—Chris Oliviero—is so nice to me. I think I could've worked out where I would do just home games. But, you know, I didn't want to get up every day and shave and shower and look beautiful to broadcast the games."

Sterling started his career broadcasting Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks games before being hired as the radio voice of the Yankees in 1989. He called 5,631 Yankees games over the next 36 years, handling the play-by-play duties in iconic moments throughout New York's dynasty in the 1990s and narrating the careers of Yankees greats like Derek Jeter and Aaron Judge.

Sterling also assured Yankees fans that he's doing just fine in retirement and has no regrets about his decision.

"I'm very much happier this way. I have no problems," Sterling said to Heyman. "I have no worries about, 'Oh, I want to do it now.' No, I'm fine. Everything is good. And people did worry that there is something physically wrong with me, and that's untrue. Completely untrue. ... That's not the case at all."

Broadcasting, John Sterling, New York Yankees
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Mics Caught Salvador Perez Joking With Cameraman During Royals-Yankees Game
11 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Mics Caught Salvador Perez Joking With Cameraman During Royals-Yankees Game

Kansas City Royals catcher/first baseman Salvador Perez had a little fun joking with a cameraman during Monday's 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees at Kauffman Stadium.

In the top of the eighth inning, Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo, facing Royals' relief pitcher Dan Altavilla, fouled off an 0-1 fastball towards the Kansas City dugout area, which is where Perez, playing first base on Monday night, headed in pursuit of the ball.

When the foul ball landed out of his reach amidst a crew of camera operators, Perez couldn't help but joke with one of the camermen. Mics picked up Perez's funny moment with the cameraman in a video shared by Talkin' Baseball on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Hey you should’ve moved. Oh my god. You don’t have a glove!" Perez said with a smile as the man burst into laughter.

Yeah, where were you on that one? In all seriousness, thank you Salvador Perez for making a seemingly routine pop fly a moment of comedic relief.

Perez and the Royals (39-28) will play three more games against the Yankees (47-21).

Kansas City Royals, MLB, New York Yankees, Salvador Perez
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Shohei Ohtani Had Funny One-Word Response to Seeing Yankees’ Aaron Judge in Person
10 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Shohei Ohtani Had Funny One-Word Response to Seeing Yankees’ Aaron Judge in Person

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani’s recent comments on New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge didn’t need much translation. 

Ahead of the Yankees-Dodgers game on Sunday, Ohtani was asked for his thoughts when he sees Judge at the plate. 

“Huge,” Ohtani said. “I see him every year, but I’m just surprised at how big he is.”

Judge, who measures in at 6’7’’ and 282 pounds, is only a few inches taller than Ohtani, but with the season he’s having, it’s no wonder Judge can sometimes seem larger than life.

The five-time All-Star recorded his league-leading 24th home run of the season in the eighth inning of the Yankees’ 6–4 win against the Dodgers on Sunday. Ohtani, for his part, is slashing .311/.379/.571 with 15 homers on the year.

Judge and Ohtani rarely find themselves in direct competition with each other, yet there was one play from the game in which Judge tried—but ultimately failed—to throw out Ohtani. During the eighth inning, the Dodgers star proved too speedy and managed to outrun Judge’s throw to home plate, sliding in milliseconds before the catcher tried to tag him. 

The Yankees avoided the sweep against the Dodgers and went home with the victory, but this will hardly be the last time that the league’s top sluggers in Ohtani and Judge square off.

Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Shohei Ohtani
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Home Plate Angle of Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto Pitching vs. Yankees Was Frightening
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Home Plate Angle of Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto Pitching vs. Yankees Was Frightening

One can imagine that attempting to hit against major league pitching is one of the most difficult feats in professional sports.

But nothing does that sentiment justice quite like home plate camera angles of at-bats.

There were two such camera angle shots during the Los Angeles Dodgers' 2-1 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night at Yankee Stadium—and they were frightening.

The first saw Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who tossed seven innings of shutout ball against the Yankees, fire a 97 MPH sinker that shattered New York slugger Giancarlo Stanton's bat as he grounded out to Mookie Betts at shortstop in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Then, two frames later in the bottom of the sixth inning, Yamamoto, facing Yankees star Aaron Judge, fired a 97 MPH heater for a called strike, an offering that was caught on a home plate camera angle in a video posted onto X, formerly Twitter, by Rob Friedman.

The scariest part about these angles is that they still don't do true justice as to how fast the pitches are coming out of Yamamoto's hand.

And Yamamoto certainly was lighting up the radar gun on Friday night, as his four-seam fastball boasted an average speed of 97 MPH, up 1.5 MPH from his season average of 95.5, en route to the seven-strikeout performance against one of the best lineups in MLB.

The Dodgers (40-25) and Yankees (45-20) will lock horns again on Saturday at 7:35 p.m. ET, with Gavin Stone (6-2, 2.90 ERA) on the mound for Los Angeles and Nestor Cortes (3-4, 3.46 ERA) opposing him for New York.

Giancarlo Stanton, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, New York Yankees, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
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Rounding the Bases: MLB Straight Up Picks for Every Game Today (Bet Dodgers as Road Underdogs)
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Rounding the Bases: MLB Straight Up Picks for Every Game Today (Bet Dodgers as Road Underdogs)

Saturday's MLB slate is headlined by the battle between the two favorites to win the World Series, the Dodgers against the Yankees in the Bronx.

The World Series preview in June takes center stage as all of Major League Baseball is in action on Saturday. Lucky for you, we have commentary on how to bet every game!

Keep reading to find out how we view each game on the Saturday slate.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Pick: Mets (+150)

There’s some variance baked into this game with it being played in London as part of MLB’s London Series. 

With a short center field fence and the wind projected to be blowing out at London Stadium, this can be a short outing for the likes of Ranger Suarez, who is driving most of the opening odds in this game. 

Pick: Twins (-120)

Simeon Woods Richardson continues to thrive for the Twins in his first full season with the club, posting a 3.04 ERA while showcasing excellent control, posting a walk rate of only six percent. The Minnesota starter will match up against Pirates opener Carmen Mlodzinski, who will put a ton of pressure on the Pittsburgh below average bullpen. 

With the pitching edge, including a better pen, I’ll take the Twins as short road favorites. 

Pick: Nationals (+120)

MacKenzie Gore has been outstanding this season, striking out a career best 27.3% of batters with a career low 3.57 ERA. 

The former Padres prized prospect is starting to see perform like it and now draws a Braves team that is struggling without Ronald Acuna Jr, who tore his ACL and is out for the year. Atlanta is hitting only .211 in June. 

Pick: Athletics (+135)

The Blue Jays remain a non starter for me as a road favorite, even against the lowly A’s. 

Kevin Gausman has been overvalued all season, and Toronto is only 6-6 in his 12 starts. The right hander has an ERA of 4.60 while his xERA is far worse at 5.26, per MLBStatcast. He is striking out only 22% of batters, the lowest rate since 2018, and remains a worthy fade. 

Pick: Brewers (-165)

Freddy Peralta has been outstanding this season, striking out nearly a third of the batters he has faced while keeping his walk rate below eight percent, about the big league average. 

It’ll be tough sledding for the Tigers lineup that is bottom third in Major League Baseball in OPS while the Brewers are far better at generating run support for its pitching staff, fourth in the same metric. 

Pick: Royals (+115)

The Royals rallied to win 10-9 on Friday, and the team remains a great bet at home, 23-10 at Kauffman Stadium this season. 

Kansas City will have a stiff test against Luis Castillo, but the Royals ability to generate power is notable considering Castillo has allowed a barrel percentage in the 28th percentile this season, per MLBStatcast, and allows a high fly ball rate of over 60%. 

Pick: Rays (+115)

Both starters have missed time this season, with different results, but I’m betting on it going in a different direction on Saturday. 

Kyle Bradish of the Orioles has made six starts and has been pitching the best baseball of his career. He is striking out 32% of batters, way above his career average, while allowing a hard-hit percentage of only 25%, 99th percentile in the big leagues. 

While it’s a fantastic start for a league average pitcher, regression will come for him soon. 

I’ll try here, on the road against a Rays team that has pop in the lineup and a pitcher who has a high ceiling in Taj Bradley. The hard throwing right hander hasn’t had good results this season, his xERA is hovering around 7.00, but i believe he can outperform expectations given the Orioles have the third fewest walks on the year. 

Pick: Reds (-120)

The Cubs’ skid has continued while the Reds have won six straight, so I’ll side with the hot home team. 

It also helps that Chicago is bottom 10 in OPS against left handers this season as the team faces Reds’ starter Andrew Abbott. 

Pick:Red Sox (-205)

Chicago snapped a 13 game skid on Friday, but I’m not counting on two wins in a row. 

Pick: Rockies (+160)

Can Kyle Gibson justify this price tag? The veteran pitcher has a 3.69 ERA that is supported by a 4.99 xERA with a walk rate hovering around 10%. 

For what it’s worth, Ryan Feltner pitches better on the road than at the hitter friendly Coors Field, so I can get behind him outperforming expectations. 

Pick: Dodgers (+105)

The two best teams in baseball continue its weekend series, and I’ll side with the road underdog given the Yankees’ overall fitness with Juan Soto’s status in doubt for the foreseeable future. 

If New York’s lineup isn’t at its best, it’ll be tough to keep up with the Dodgers, who have the highest OPS against left handed pitching this season. 

Pick: Guardians (-160)

Cleveland is the far more talented side here and should have little issue snagging a road win. 

Ben Lively’s strikeout rate is at a career high of 23% and the Guardians have the clear offensive edge, 11th in OPS against the Marlins, who check in 29th. 

Pick: Diamondbacks (+125)

I’ll take Arizona to stay hot in June, winners of five of six, at an underdog price. 

Ryne Nelson isn’t a strikeout-focused pitcher, only 14.9%, but he has limited his walks to only six percent, which is impactful against a Padres team that is reliant on drawing walks to get runners on base. Nelson’s ERA is also due to come down from his mark of 5.44, with an xERA of 4.77. 

Pick: Astros (-165)

Angels starter Tyler Anderson has been among the best pitchers in baseball, but I expect a tough summer for the veteran left hander. 

He has an ERA of 2.37, which is staggering to see given some of his other numbers, including a 16% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate. Meanwhile, his xERA is 4.49, making him ripe for a few blow ups as the season continues. 

I’ll count on Saturday against a Houston lineup that is top five in OPS against southpaws. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Arizona Diamondbacks, atlanta braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, MLB best bets, MLB Betting Preview, MLB Picks, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays
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Kiké Hernández Error During Mic'd Up Dodgers-Yankees Interview Led to Awkward Silence
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Kiké Hernández Error During Mic’d Up Dodgers-Yankees Interview Led to Awkward Silence

Mic'd up interviews with MLB players in the field are a creative way to get fans closer to the game. Unfortunately, they can also go horribly wrong.

That's what happened to Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Enrique Kiké Hernández on a mic'd up interview live on the AppleTV+ broadcast during his club's 2-1 win over the New York Yankees on Friday night.

Hernández, wearing an earpiece and a microphone, was asked a question about the Dodgers' strong team chemistry by AppleTV+ color commentator and former MLB pitcher Dontrelle Willis during the bottom of the second inning with one out and the count 1-and-2 on Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres.

"After this play," Hernández said, as he ranged towards his right to field a grounder from Torres. The Dodgers veteran then failed to cleanly field the ball, resulting in the Yankees second baseman reaching first safely—and an incredibly awkward silence from the AppleTV+ broadcast.

Moments later, after Hernández asked Willis to repeat his question, the former MLB hurler replied by saying, “I don’t want to ask it again. Because I don’t want you to boot the ball again, to be honest with you. I’ll take that E for you, big dog.”

Fortunately for the Dodgers, Hernández' error was not a costly one, as starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto sandwiched a couple of strikeouts around another base hit to work himself out of the jam.

Hernández, per MLB's collective bargaining agreement, pocketed $10,000 for the in-game interview.

That's why the Dodgers star, even after enduring this awkward experience, doesn't plan on rejecting such opportunities in the future.

"No, because we're getting paid," Hernández said, according to the Associated Press. "I like money."

The Dodgers (40-25) and Yankees (45-20) will play two more games at Yankee Stadium this weekend, starting with Saturday's 7:35 p.m. ET game.

Enrique Hernandez, Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB, New York Yankees
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MLB Fans Roast Bizarre Yankees-Dodgers Collab Merchandise at Yankee Stadium
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

MLB Fans Roast Bizarre Yankees-Dodgers Collab Merchandise at Yankee Stadium

MLB fans attending the interleague series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees in the Bronx this weekend have an opportunity to go home with one of the strangest souvenirs to emerge this season.

While the two teams battle on the field, shops around Yankee Stadium are selling split caps featuring the names and numbers of sluggers Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

It looks about as odd as it sounds.

The Yankees are also selling Ohtani jerseys at their home park this weekend.

It's not like this series is Ohtani's first at Yankee Stadium, either. The two-way star appeared in 13 games (including two starts on the mound) in the Bronx while playing in the American League for the Los Angeles Angels from 2018 to '23.

Fans fired off their takes once MLB's official social media accounts shared a photo of the odd split hat:

Whoever buys this hat will feature two of the top hitters in baseball on their melon.

Entering this weekend's series, Ohtani is batting .318/.385/.588 with 15 homers in 61 games. Judge is hitting .289/.423/.658—good for a league-high 201 OPS+—with 19 doubles and 21 homers in 64 games.

Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Shohei Ohtani
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Yankees Receive Positive Update After Juan Soto Leaves Game With Forearm Tightness
7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Yankees Receive Positive Update After Juan Soto Leaves Game With Forearm Tightness

New York Yankees fans everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief.

Yankees right fielder Juan Soto will not go on the injured list after exiting New York's 8–5 win over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday with forearm tightness, manager Aaron Boone told reporters Friday afternoon.

"Good news, obviously," Boone said. "Waiting on that, on those results, I think in the grand scheme of things we got some good news."

Boone characterized Soto as day-to-day with left forearm inflammation and said he could be available off the bench Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Soto, 25, is slashing an astounding .318/.424/.603 with 17 home runs and 53 RBIs this season. His 3.6 bWAR ranks fourth in the American League, and has helped the Yankees start 45–19.

"There might have been some anxious moments in there," Boone said. "But ... also probably a little optimism there, too, because he's been playing and been playing really well and has been able to play."

Juan Soto, Minnesota Twins, MLB, New York Yankees
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Every MLB Team's World Series Odds Through First Two Months of 2024 Season
7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Every MLB Team’s World Series Odds Through First Two Months of 2024 Season

We're officially more than two months into the 2024 Major League Baseball season so it's time to take a step back and take a look at the futures markets.

What teams have underperformed? What teams are a surprising contender? Are there any teams we should bet on now or are there a few we should stay away from?

In this article, we're going to take a look at the latest World Series odds for all 32 teams. Let's dive into it. All odds listed in this article are via FanDuel Sportsbook.

The Dodgers, despite underperforming by their standards, are still set as the World Series favorites at +260, which is an implied probability of 27.78%. There's no denying the talent this roster has and they're still playing well enough to have a hefty lead on the NL West.

The New York Yankees have been the best team in baseball through the first two months. Their pitching has been sharp and their offense, specifically the play of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, has been unbelievable. If I were to pick one team to win it all at this point of the season, I'd pick the Yankees.

The Phillies have the best record in the National League at 44-19. They have a great chance to yet again go on a deep playoff run.

The injury bug has bitten the Braves, most notably Ronald Acuna Jr., who will miss the rest of the 2024 season. There's still plenty of time for them to rally and there's a reason they're still fourth on the odds list to win it all.

The Orioles are still well behind the Yankees in the AL East, but at 39-22, they'll be back in the playoffs once again.

The Seattle Mariners lead the AL West, but their offense needs to wake up if they want to be true World Series contenders in 2024.

The AL Central was supposed to be the worst division in baseball, but as of writing this article, four of the five teams are at .500 or above, including the Minnesota Twins at 33-29.

The Houston Astros don't look like the same contender they once were. Their metrics are still respectable and their offense has woken up in recent weeks. If there's one team that has got off to a slow start that I could see getting hot in the second half of the season, it's the Astros.

The Cleveland Guardians are eye-popping 40-21 as of writing this article. While that's impressive, I wouldn't be surprised if he saw some regression from this team in the second half of the season.

The Milwaukee Brewers lead the NL Central and have had one of the better offenses through the first two months of the season. They are a team to watch in the National League.

It's been a bad start to the season for the defending World Series champions. Their offense has been middling and their bullpen continues to cost them games. They need to find a way to turn the ship around or they're going to fail to make the playoffs.

The Kansas City Royals might be the single most surprising team in the Majors this season at 37-26. Not only has their record been good, but they have the metrics to back it up. Between strong offensive statistics and more than one Cy Young candidate in their rotation, the Royals could be a Cinderella story in 2024.

The Blue Jays may be the most disappointing team in the Majors. Despite looking like a talented squad on paper, their offense has been without teeth and their bullpen has been abysmal. On top of that, their rotation hasn't been nearly as good as it was last year. Time is running out for Toronto.

I feel sorry for Mets fans. It's been a disaster of a season and they're already 16.5 games back from the Phillies in the NL East.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Arizona Diamondbacks, atlanta braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, MLB, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, World Series
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Juan Soto's AL MVP Odds Plummet Following Injury Scare
7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Juan Soto’s AL MVP Odds Plummet Following Injury Scare

UPDATE: Juan Soto's MRI came back with only inflammation, according to MLB insider Jon Heyman. His AL MVP odds have still dropped to +450 at FanDuel Sportsbook -- but they have rebounded after falling as low as +650.

What follows is the initial story of the odds movement following Soto's exit from Thursday night's game against the Minnesota Twins. His odds have remained the same at DraftKings Sportsbook (+235) throughout this process.

New York Yankees fans everywhere held their breath on Thursday night after Juan Soto was lifted from the team's win with what the Yankees called, "left forearm discomfort."

Soto, who is off to a great start this season, was one of the favorites to win the American League MVP award entering Thursday night's action.

However, MLB insider Jon Heyman revealed on Friday that the Yankees are "nervous" when it comes to Soto and his injury and his odds have fallen since the injury occurred.

Soto is slashing an impressive .318/.424/.603 with 17 homers on the season. He was right behind teammate Aaron Judge in the odds as the No. 2 favorite for the AL MVP.

That has since changed at FanDuel Sportsbook, a sign that Soto could be looking at a stint on the injured list. Even if Soto plays, oddsmakers may be taking their chance on him being less effective with his forearm bothering him, at least in terms of his ability to win AL MVP.

Here are the odds from FanDuel Sportsbook.

Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. and Baltimore Orioles star Gunnar Henderson have leapfrogged Soto in the latest AL MVP odds. Soto dropped from +210 to +650 since being removed from Thursday's game, a massive falloff that signals oddsmakers believe he's at least expected to miss some time or be less effective in the MVP race.

The other important note here is Judge has jumped to a clear favorite in this market. After posting an OPS over 1.400 in May, Judge is now hitting .289 on the season and leads baseball in homers (21), doubles, and walks drawn.

Despite the movement at FanDuel, that isn't the case everywhere in the betting market.

The odds for the AL MVP are much different at DraftKings Sportsbook.

In this case, oddsmakers still believe in Soto's AL MVP case, although Witt Jr. and Henderson are right on his heels for the No. 2 spot.

Until the Yankees officially announce a roster move, Soto's status is truly up in the air.

The star outfielder addressed the media on Thursday, saying he's been dealing with the ailment for a couple of weeks. While he's been able to play through it, there has to be some concern that this has been building over time.

Soto didn't have to make many throws against the Twins on Thursday, and it's unclear if there is a specific spot where he could have aggravated his forearm that led to his removal from the game.

If the injury isn't bothering Soto when he hits, he theoretically could stay in the AL-leading Yankees lineup as a designated hitter.

The problem? That spot is usually manned by slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who has been injury-prone in the past and is certainly risky to play in the field. For now, the Yankees and their fans -- and Soto bettors -- are hoping for some positive news about his injury in the coming days.

I think this helps Judge's MVP case the most, as the Yankees would rely even more on the 2022 AL MVP if Soto can't play for any period.

Judge has finished in the top five in MVP voting in three different seasons in his MLB career.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Aaron Judge, Baltimore Orioles, Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, Houston Astros, Juan Soto, Kansas City Royals, Kyle Tucker, MVP, New York Yankees
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