National Sports

LUCAN, Ont. — In the hours after the Maple Leafs signed John Tavares this summer, Mike Babcock mused about playing his shiny new centre alongside Mitch Marner.

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles trudged off the field following a historic loss, still not absorbing that they are part of one of the worst teams in franchise history. The Orioles lost to the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 on Tuesday.

TIANJIN, China — Maria Sharapova says she will end her 2018 season early, withdrawing from the China Open in Beijing, the Tianjin Open, and the Kremlin Cup in Moscow due to her recovery from a right shoulder injury.

SURREY, B.C. — Yet another injury has Travis Lulay back on the sidelines. The veteran B.C. Lions quarterback had his left shoulder dislocated when he was tackled by Montreal Alouettes defensive end John Bowman in the first quarter of Friday's game.

PARIS — If the World Cup had given the impression that Lionel Messi was slipping down soccer's pecking order, the Argentine star made it clear he remains at the top of his game.

REGINA — Naaman Roosevelt expected to be a vital cog in the Saskatchewan Roughriders' offence again in 2018. The receiver was named the Riders' Most Outstanding Player in 2016 after gaining 1,095 yard on 76 catches in just 11 games.

AMES, Iowa — A star collegiate golfer from Spain was attacked and killed by a homeless stranger while she was playing a round alone near her campus in Iowa, police said Tuesday.

RUSE, Bulgaria — Canada dropped its second straight match at the world men's volleyball championship on Wednesday, falling 3-1 to France. Set scores were 25-22, 25-21, 22-25, 25-17.

Toronto Wolfpack forward Jack Bussey has been suspended for 10 games — eight for biting and two for a high tackle.

Toronto FC said all the right things Tuesday in the buildup to the inaugural Campeones Cup.