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FORT WORTH, Texas — While Cam Ward hasn’t decided if he will throw at the NFL combine next week, the quarterback knows how he will answer any scouts or team personnel who ask him if he quit on the Miami Hurricanes by not finishing his final game with the team.

“OK, you’re either going to draft me or you’re not,” Ward said Monday night before receiving the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top college quarterback. “If you don’t draft me, that’s your fault. You’ve got to remember you’re the same team that’s got to play me for the rest of my career, and I’ll remember that.”

Ward was showered with online criticism suggesting that he quit on the Hurricanes after he didn’t play the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl — a 42-41 loss to Iowa State — in December. He broke the NCAA Division I record for career touchdown passes before halftime.

The quarterback, who could be the first player selected in the NFL draft in April, said the decision to not play in the second half of that bowl game was predetermined by him and the coaching staff.

“I just think we all got what we needed out of it. They seen things that they think they need to work on … for this season coming up. And they also knew, you know, what I had on the line,” Ward said. “We feel like we’re doing what’s best for the program and myself. I mean, it was a hard decision, especially when, you know, some guys on our team didn’t play who I thought should have played. It was also, you know, those guys thought about their future the same way I thought about mine.”

Miami coach Mario Cristobal has defended Ward. Last month, he called the accusations of Ward quitting on the team “a false narrative.”

“If I could do it again, I’d do it the same way,” Ward said Monday, though he later added, “I wish we could have ended up winning the game. If we had won the game, they wouldn’t have said nothing. And so, that’s usually how it goes. And you know, you just got to take it on the chin and just keep pushing.”

With the first of his three touchdown passes in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, during which he threw for 190 yards to push Miami to a 31-28 halftime lead, Ward set the Division I — FBS and FCS — record at 156 touchdowns, one more than Houston‘s Case Keenum (2007 to 2011). Miami used Emory Williams at quarterback in the second half. The Hurricanes have since added former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck as a transfer.

Ward finished his college career with 158 TD passes, and his 18,189 passing yards — 6,908 at Incarnate Word, 6,968 at Washington State and 4,313 at Miami — is third most in NCAA history, behind only Keenum and Dillon Gabriel. In his lone season with Miami, Ward set single-season school record for yards, completions (305), touchdown passes (39) and completion rate — both for a season and a career, at 67.2%.

As for the upcoming combine, Ward said he hadn’t come up with a plan of what he would do next week in Indianapolis. He does plan to throw at Miami’s pro day.

The Davey O’Brien Award ceremony came about three weeks after Ward accepted the Manning Award. He followed Jayden Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner who also won both of those quarterback awards before being the No. 2 draft pick last year then leading the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship Game.

“To see him succeed,” Ward said of Daniels, “is motivating for not only myself but all of the other quarterbacks.”

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Hard-throwing rookie Misiorowski going to ASG

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Hard-throwing rookie Misiorowski going to ASG

Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.

Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.

The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.

If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.

Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.

“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”

Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.

“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”

Carlos Rodón, Carlos Estévez and Casey Mize were named replacement pitchers on the AL roster.

The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.

“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”

The Kansas City Royals‘ Estévez replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start at Houston on Saturday night. Estévez was a 2023 All-Star when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.

Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.

Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.

The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”

Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.

Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.

San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.

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Twins SS Correa helped off with sprained ankle

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Twins SS Correa helped off with sprained ankle

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa had to be helped off the field after injuring his right ankle when Pittsburgh‘s Tommy Pham slid into him at second base.

Pham was trying to get to second on his liner off the wall in right field in the seventh inning of the Twins’ 2-1 victory Friday night. Right fielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr.’s throw beat Pham, whose batting helmet made contact with Correa’s lower leg.

Correa rolled over and stayed on the ground before leaving the game. Brooks Lee moved from second base to shortstop to replace Correa. The team said Correa had a mild ankle sprain.

Correa said X-rays were negative and that he expects to sit out Saturday’s game, adding that he “hopefully” can play on Sunday, according to MLB.com.

The 30-year-old Correa is already in his 11th big league season and has been a mainstay at shortstop for the Twins since signing as a free agent in 2022. He missed about half of last season with a concussion and a plantar fascia injury, the latter of which kept him from playing in the All-Star Game after he was chosen for the third time.

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Acuña replaced in HR Derby by teammate Olson

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Acuña replaced in HR Derby by teammate Olson

ATLANTA — Ronald Acuña Jr. won’t participate in the Home Run Derby, replaced Friday by Atlanta teammate and fellow All-Star Matt Olson.

Acuña is a starting outfielder for the National League and still is expected to play in the All-Star Game on his home field. Olson is a reserve infielder.

Instead of Acuña, Olson will try to become the first Atlanta player to win the Home Run Derby on Monday night. He could become the fourth to win at home. The All-Star Game is Tuesday night.

Olson competed in the 2021 Derby while with the Athletics. He was eliminated in the first round. The 31-year-old entered the weekend with 17 homers this season.

The other scheduled participants are Brent Rooker, the first for the Athletics since Olson, along with Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Yankees, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and James Wood of Washington.

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