Quick Hitters
Cardinals cut OT Harrison after arrest warrant issued
TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals released tackle Desmond Harrison on Wednesday after police in North Carolina issued a warrant for his arrest on assault charges.
The Greensboro Police Department says the alleged assault was reported on Tuesday. Police spokesman Ron Glenn says the investigation has just begun and no additional details are available, including when the alleged assault occurred.
The 25-year-old Harrison, who spent some time at Oak Ridge Military Academy in Oak Ridge, North Carolina, was claimed last month by the Cardinals after he was cut by the Cleveland Browns.
Undrafted in 2017 after playing at West Georgia, Harrison also attended Texas, where he was suspended from the team several times. He signed with the Browns and started eight games last season before being benched.
The Browns released him after he missed the first day of their minicamp in early June.
Angels pitcher Noé Ramirez suspended for 3 games
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles pitcher Noé Ramirez has been suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount for throwing a pitch in the area of Houston outfielder Jake Marisnick’s head, and Angels manager Brad Ausmus has been suspended a game and fined.
Joe Torre, Chief Baseball Officer for Major League Baseball, announced the penalties Wednesday, a day after Ramirez drilled Marisnick between the shoulder blades with a 1-1 pitch in the sixth inning of the Angels’ 7-2 home victory.
Marisnick was playing his first game against Los Angeles since his violent home plate collision with catcher Jonathan Lucroy.
Marisnick ran over Lucroy while trying to score in Houston nine days ago, leaving Lucroy with a concussion and a broken nose. He’s out for at least three more weeks. Marisnick is currently appealing his two-game suspension for the collision.
American winger Boyd signs with Turkey’s Besiktas
American winger Tyler Boyd has agreed to a contract with the Turkish club Besiktas.
The 24-year-old, who grew up in California, changed his affiliation in May from New Zealand to the United States and scored twice in the Americans’ 4-0 win over Guyana in their CONCACAF Gold Cup opener.
Boyd signed with the Wellington Phoenix at 17 in 2012 and moved to Portugal’s Vitoria Guimaraes in February 2015 and was lent to the smaller Portuguese club Tondela in 2017-18. He made a few starts but mostly substitute appearances for Vitoria Guimaraes in the first half of last season, then became a regular during a loan to Turkey’s Ankaragucu during the second half of 2018-19.
His deal with Besiktas was announced Monday.
Defender De Ligt undergoing medical with Juventus
TURIN, Italy — Matthijs de Ligt is undergoing medical exams with Juventus ahead of an expected 70 million euros ($80 million) transfer from Ajax.
Juventus shared photos and videos on social media of De Ligt’s arrival in Turin late Tuesday and of fans awaiting him outside the club’s training facility when the Dutch defender showed up early Wednesday.
De Ligt is expected to sign a contract worth 8 million euros per season before being formally presented on Thursday.
The 19-year-old De Ligt was captain of the Ajax squad that reached the Champions League semifinals last season, having scored the winning goal against Juventus in the quarterfinals.
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — On the final day of practice for the final major of the year, Rory McIlroy ripped a shot out of the light rough and began walking toward the green when he stopped in the middle of the fairway for a quick interview with Sky Sports.
That’s normal for McIlroy at any British Open. Fans stood six deep, creating a corridor as he walked to the third tee on Wednesday. The grandstand was full and the gallery framed the entire par 3, despite heavy clouds that began to darken with the promise of more rain at Royal Portrush.
No, this is not a normal British Open — certainly not for McIlroy no matter how hard he tries to convince himself as golf’s oldest championship returns to his native Northern Ireland for the first time in 68 years.
“You’ve got the best players in the world here, and I don’t feel like I’m the center of attention,” McIlroy said at a news conference before a media gathering larger than it was for Tiger Woods.
He is not the only Ulsterman who tees off Thursday in pursuit of a claret jug.
Graeme McDowell was raised in Portrush and was a member of Rathmore Golf Club, which is owned by Royal Portrush and shares the same links along the North Atlantic. Darren Clarke forged his game as a junior at Royal Portrush and now calls it home. McIlroy is different. He is a four-time major champion and No. 3 in the world, and Royal Portrush