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ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia running back Trevor Etienne faces disciplinary action from both the university and athletic department following his DUI arrest over the weekend, coach Kirby Smart said Tuesday.

Under athletic department policy, Etienne will miss 10% of Georgia’s season — which equates to at least one game under the Bulldogs’ 12-game schedule — if found guilty of DUI. The Bulldogs open the 2024 season Aug. 31 in Atlanta against Clemson.

Etienne was traveling 80 to 90 mph in a 50-mph zone at approximately 1:50 a.m. Sunday and twice crossed over a double yellow line to pass vehicles, according to an Athens-Clarke County Police Department report. Etienne, a transfer from Florida, told police he was trying to get home and admitted to drinking three beers “way earlier.”

Etienne, the younger brother of Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, was driving a 2024 Audi RS7 and declined to consent to a field sobriety test. Police said he had slurred speech, glossy eyes and was swaying back and forth while standing on flat ground. When the arresting officer asked Etienne for an ID, he gave him his car key.

In addition to DUI, Etienne was also charged with reckless driving, failure to maintain lane/improper driving on the road and affixing materials that reduce visibility of windows/windshield. The DUI charge is classified as “less safe,” which in Georgia means he can be convicted even if his blood alcohol level is less than .08.

Smart said part of the process in determining Etienne’s discipline is allowing the legal process to run its course.

The coach opened his weekly news conference Tuesday by praising Etienne as a “great kid, great person” and noting how much he enjoyed being coached and loved the competition.

“As we also know, kids sometimes don’t make the best decisions,” Smart said. “The older you get, sometimes the tougher the consequences are for your mistakes. So, he’s not going to let this mistake define him. He’s embarrassed. He’s upset. He knows he made a mistake. It’s a teaching moment, and we hope he gets better from it.”

Etienne, 19, rushed for 1,472 yards and scored 15 touchdowns in two seasons with the Gators. He was being counted on to be a major cog in the Bulldogs’ running game this season.

Georgia football players were arrested or cited for speeding or reckless driving at least 14 times last year after the Jan. 15, 2023 crash that killed offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy. Speeding and alcohol played a role in that crash, police said.

Smart told ESPN that his players are continually counseled on the dangers of driving recklessly and/or impaired. Guest speakers are regularly brought in to talk to the team, and one who spoke to the Bulldogs prior to the start of last season was former NFL receiver Donte Stallworth, who killed a pedestrian in Florida in 2009 while driving drunk.

“It wasn’t just because of some of the issues we’ve had, but we got [Stallworth] in here because over and above getting a DUI and all that entails, you can kill somebody,” Smart said. “I wanted our kids to hear it from somebody who had gone through something that terrible.”

Sophomore offensive tackle Earnest Greene III said players have had sessions with police officers, athletic director Josh Brooks and Smart about not putting themselves in a position to drive drunk. Smart has also stressed the importance of players looking out for each other and policing each other.

“It’s on us,” Greene said.

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Pirates ball-crusher Cruz accepts HR Derby invite

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Pirates ball-crusher Cruz accepts HR Derby invite

Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz accepted an invitation on Tuesday to compete in Monday’s Home Run Derby in Atlanta.

Cruz is the fifth player to commit to the competition, held one day before the All-Star Game. The others are Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals and Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins.

Cruz, 26, is known for having a powerful bat and regularly delivers some of the hardest-hit homers in the sport. His home run May 25 at home against the Milwaukee Brewers had an exit velocity of 122.9 mph and was the hardest hit homer in the 10-year Statcast era.

But Cruz has never hit more than 21 in a season, and that was in 2024. He’s on track to set a new high this year and has 15 in 80 games.

Cruz has 55 career homers in 324 games with the Pirates.

Cruz will be the first Pittsburgh player to participate in the Derby since Josh Bell in 2019. Other Pirates to be part of the event were Bobby Bonilla (1990), Barry Bonds (1992), Jason Bay (2005), Andrew McCutchen (2012) and Pedro Alvarez (2013).

Overall, Cruz is batting just .203 this season but leads the National League with 28 steals.

Among the players to turn down an invite to the eight-player field are two-time champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies and 2024 runner-up Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals.

Defending champion Teoscar Hernandez of the Los Angeles Dodgers recently turned down a spot as a consideration to nagging injuries.

Top power threats Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers also are expected to skip the event.

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Yanks moving Chisholm back to 2B after 3B stint

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Yanks moving Chisholm back to 2B after 3B stint

New York Yankees All-Star Jazz Chisholm Jr., after making 28 starts in a row at third base, is moving back to second base starting with Tuesday’s game against the Seattle Mariners, manager Aaron Boone said.

Boone confirmed the change on the “Talkin’ Yanks” podcast on Tuesday.

Chisholm, who is batting .245 with 15 home runs, 38 RBIs and 10 steals in 59 games, has recently been bothered by soreness in his right shoulder, which he said is an issue only on throws.

He said he prefers to play second base and prepared in the offseason to exclusively play in that spot before injuries played havoc with Boone’s lineup card, starting with Chisholm’s oblique injury in May.

Third baseman Oswaldo Cabrera went down with a season-ending ankle injury on May 12.

DJ LeMahieu manned second base while Chisholm was at third, but Boone has a better glove option in Oswald Peraza, a utility man with a stronger arm plus defensive skills across the infield.

LeMahieu, 36, is batting .266 with two home runs and 12 RBIs this season.

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White Sox reinstate OF Robert (hamstring) from IL

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White Sox reinstate OF Robert (hamstring) from IL

The Chicago White Sox reinstated outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list Tuesday.

Robert, 27, has struggled this season through career lows in batting average (.185), on-base percentage (.270) and slugging percentage (.313). Through 73 games, he has amassed just 16 extra-base hits (eight doubles, eight home runs) in 285 plate appearances.

He does have 22 stolen bases in 28 attempts and is just one shy of his career- high in steals.

In a corresponding move, the White Sox optioned infielder Tristan Gray to Triple-A Charlotte. Gray was just recalled before Monday night’s game but did not play.

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