BASEBALL
Tigers fire GM
The Detroit Tigers' disappointing season cost Al Avila his job. Avila was fired as Detroit's general manager on Wednesday, ending a seven-year tenure without a playoff appearance. Owner Chris Ilitch announced the move with his team mired in another disappointing season. Detroit entered Wednesday at 43-68, last in the AL Central. The Cuban-born Avila was the only current Latino general manager or equivalent in MLB, which has few minorities in leading front-office positions. Tigers assistant general manager Sam Menzin takes over the day-to-day leadership role.
FOOTBALL
Browns place Grant on IR
Cleveland Browns Pro Bowl return specialist Jakeem Grant Sr. was placed on injured reserve Wednesday after tests confirmed he tore his left Achilles tendon during practice. Grant will miss the season, forcing the Browns to find another option to fix their lackluster return game. The 5-6 Grant was signed as a free agent in the offseason to handle punt and kickoff returns. He made the Pro Bowl for the first time last season while playing for Chicago (11 games) and Miami (four). Grant has returned four kickoffs for touchdowns and two punts for scores in six seasons as a pro. The Browns gave him a three-year contract worth up to $13.8 million.
Saints cut RB Brown
The New Orleans Saints have cut veteran running back Malcolm Brown and waived defensive back Bryce Thompson with an injury designation. Thompson appeared to have a serious lower leg injury during Tuesday's practice at Saints training camp and he was waived on Wednesday. His injury designation means he could wind up on the Saints' injured reserve list if he is not claimed or does not reach an injury settlement. Thompson is a second-year pro out of Tennessee. Brown is a seven-year NFL veteran who spent his first six seasons with the St. Louis and Los Angeles Rams before playing last season for Miami.
Bama WR injured
Alabama wide receiver JoJo Earle is expected to miss the first month of the season with a broken foot. Crimson Tide Coach Nick Saban said Wednesday that Earle sustained a Jones fracture in practice "a couple of days ago." Saban said recovery typically takes 6-8 weeks and that the sophomore receiver and return man could be back as early as the Arkansas game on Oct. 1. Alabama opens against Utah State on Sept. 3. Earle had 12 catches last season for 148 yards. He was vying for a starting job with Alabama having to replace receivers Jameson Williams, John Metchie III and Slade Bolden.
MOTOR SPORTS
Gragson earns promotion
Noah Gragson finally earned a promotion to NASCAR's top level and will drive for Petty GMS next season. Gragson will replace Ty Dillon in the No. 42 Chevrolet beginning with next season's exhibition race at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He will be teammates with Erik Jones, who recently signed an extension to continue with the team that launched this year when GMS Racing moved up to the Cup Series by merging with Richard Petty Motorsports. The promotion to NASCAR's top series puts Gragson with another one of NASCAR's greats. He drove in the Truck Series for two-time Cup champion Kyle Busch and has spent four seasons driving in the Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports, the team co-owned by Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. Now he'll drive for Richard Petty, the seven-time NASCAR champion and Hall of Famer.
Kurt Busch remains out
Kurt Busch said Wednesday he pushed himself too hard trying to return to NASCAR competition and will miss his fourth consecutive Cup Series race because of concussion-like symptoms. Busch has been out since crashing in qualifying on July 23 at Pocono Raceway. He had hoped to be back in the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing on Sunday at Richmond Raceway. Ty Gibbs will again replace Busch in the car. Gibbs, the 19-year-old grandson of Joe Gibbs, has finished 16th, 17th and 10th in his three races as a substitute.
TENNIS
Kyrgios continues to win
Nick Kyrgios beat top-ranked defending champion Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday in the National Bank Open in Montreal. Krygios, the Australian ranked 37th, won last week in Washington for his seventh ATP Tour title. Medvedev won last week in Los Cabos, Mexico. Kyrgios is 3-1 against Medvedev and has won 14 of 15 matches, with the loss coming to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final. American Tommy Paul beat second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz of Spain 6-7 (4), 7-6 (7), 6-3.
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jakeem Grant Sr. is carted off the field after getting injured during a drill at the NFL football team's training camp, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)