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MOBILE, Ala. — Former Washington star quarterback Michael Penix Jr.‘s career arc has been defined by overcoming adversity, as he endured four season-ending injuries during his first four seasons of college football while playing at Indiana.

Penix stayed healthy the past two years at Washington, leading the nation in passing yards per game in both 2022 and 2023 and going 25-3 as a starter.

Penix came to the Senior Bowl this week to compete for a spot in the NFL draft’s first round, as his injury history is part of the reason that his prolific production the past two years doesn’t match his draft projections.

Penix knows there will be questions about his health history. And Penix told ESPN that he went to see Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache, the noted surgeon from the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles. ElAttrache took scans of the Penix’s right knee, which has endured two ACL tears that ended his 2018 and 2020 seasons.

Penix told ESPN that ElAttrache will be available to talk to any teams that have questions, but said that he got a “thumbs up” from ElAttrache and “there’s nothing to hold me back.” That aligns with how Penix’s knee felt in the three seasons since the second ACL tear, as that specific injury hasn’t caused him to miss a practice, workout or game in those seasons.

He added: “Some of that stuff I can’t control. I can tell them how I feel, I can show them how I feel, that’s all I can do at that point. I’ve got plenty of scans to show them, the doctor says I’m clear, nothing’s wrong, I don’t see why they would think I’m hurt, really. I can just show them what I can do.”

Penix did that plenty on the field the past two seasons at Washington. He led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff in 2023, as they started 14-0 before losing to Michigan in the College Football Playoff championship.

This season, Penix threw for 4,903 yards, 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He completed 65.4% of his passes in an offense that put a premium on pushing the ball down the field. He also took just 16 sacks on more than 1,100 passing attempts the past two years thanks to a strong offensive line and the deft ability to feel pressure.

Asked whether he’s frustrated that he still needs to prove himself to evaluators, Penix quickly dismissed the notion. “I can’t control other people’s perspectives or how they view me as a quarterback,” he said. “For me, I just got to continue to be myself and continue to work hard each and every day to show them that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be great, and I belong anywhere that I end up.”

Penix has spent the weeks since the national title game training with noted quarterback tutor John Beck of 3DQB in Southern California.

He said that the 34-13 loss in the national title game to Michigan was “tough for me to get over at first,” but he has been excited to get back on the field.

During Senior Bowl practices this week in Mobile, Penix and the other quarterbacks have met with groups of five NFL teams at once. He said the questions have mostly involved his background and journey through football.

Penix played the first four years of his career at Indiana. Along with the ACL injuries, two other seasons (2019 and 2021) ended with shoulder injuries, one to each shoulder. Neither of those injuries is expected to impact him in the NFL.

Penix is appreciative of the moments at the Senior Bowl after those years where injuries intersected his seasons.

“It was hard for me to just go out there and have fun at that time,” he said. “I was just trying to get to that point where you can go back out there and find fun in the game again. I was blessed — I am blessed — to be in this position where I have found I can go out there and have fun.”

Penix sprayed passes around the field Tuesday, the familiar sight of the ball exploding out of his left hand. The setting showcased his arm talent, with hundreds of NFL evaluators scattered around Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of South Alabama. And he’s eager to keep putting on a show.

“Just building relationships here, building relationships with people, elevating myself as a person and player here,” Penix said. “Just trying to get to know as many people as I can, being out here in front of these coaches, to show my skills in front of them. I’m soaking in the moment. As long as I soak in all of the moments and get everything out of it I can, I feel like it will a great week for me.”

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3B Ramirez (ankle) returns to Guardians’ lineup

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3B Ramirez (ankle) returns to Guardians' lineup

TORONTO — Cleveland Guardians star Jose Ramirez was back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, two days after the third baseman left in the third inning because of a mild right ankle sprain.

The six-time All-Star was injured when he stumbled and fell while crossing first base on an infield single. Ramirez went down after being struck in the back by a throw from Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt.

Ramirez was batting third Sunday against right-hander Bowden Francis.

Ramírez sat out Saturday when Cleveland beat Toronto 5-3. He went 2 for 2 before departing Friday, boosting his average to .274. He has five home runs and 15 RBIs in 31 games.

In last Thursday’s 4-3 victory over Minnesota, Ramirez became the first primary third baseman to reach 250 homers and 250 stolen bases.

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Yankees’ Volpe day-to-day after tests on shoulder

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Yankees' Volpe day-to-day after tests on shoulder

NEW YORK — Shortstop Anthony Volpe was not in the New York Yankees‘ starting lineup Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays, a day after he injured his left shoulder on a dive while trying to get to a grounder.

“X-rays, MRI — good news,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s sore today, but I feel like we’re probably in a good spot. We’ll see. Kind of day to day right now.”

Volpe remained in the game after his unsuccessful attempt for a backhand stab on Christopher Morel‘s eighth-inning single, which sparked a two-run rally in Tampa Bay’s 3-2 win Saturday.

Volpe said after the game he heard a pop in the shoulder.

“It’s a little unclear in there. He’s got some stuff that they feel like is older stuff, so hard to know exactly,” Boone said. “He’s definitely a little cranky in the shoulder today.”

Volpe, 24, is hitting .233 with five homers, 19 RBIs and four stolen bases in his third season with the Yankees.

Oswald Peraza was listed to start at shortstop, batting ninth.

New York already is missing second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (strained right oblique), third baseman DJ LeMahieu (strained left calf), ace Gerrit Cole (Tommy John surgery) and right-hander Luis Gil (right lat strain), the reigning AL Rookie of the Year.

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Marlins reinstate C Fortes, place 2B Lopez on IL

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Marlins reinstate C Fortes, place 2B Lopez on IL

The Miami Marlins activated catcher Nick Fortes from the 10-day injured list Sunday morning. To make room for him on the active roster, starting second baseman Otto Lopez was placed on the 10-day injured list.

Fortes, the Marlins’ Opening Day catcher, posted six hits in 20 at-bats with two doubles, one triple and one RBI in seven appearances before going on the IL on April 10 with an injured left oblique muscle. The 28-year-old missed 20 games as the Marlins went 7-13 without him. To prepare for Sunday’s return, he rehabbed for two games at Triple-A Jacksonville and went 0-for-6.

Fortes figures to split time with 23-year-old rookie catcher Agustin Ramirez, who has delivered a .256/.293/.615 slash line with three homers and five RBIs in 10 games during his first stint in the bigs.

The 26-year-old Lopez hits the injured list, retroactive to Saturday, with a sprained right ankle. Lopez started the season hot with a .400 average to go with two homers, six RBIs and one stolen base during five games in March. Since then, he has batted .191 (17-for-89) with no homers, five RBIs and two steals.

Rookie Javier Sanoja, 22, has filled Lopez’s spot at second base the last two games and provided two doubles, two runs and one RBI in seven at-bats.

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