National Sports

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates fired manager Derek Shelton following a rocky opening month to the season that saw Pittsburgh quickly slip into last place in the NL Central. General manager Ben Cherington made the announcement Thursday.

Mikko Rantanen is showing exactly why Dallas was willing to pay such a hefty price to put him the roster. One of the players the Stars traded for Rantanen is also making a positive impact for his new team.

ROME — Canadian Gabriel Diallo lost his opening men's singles match Thursday at the Italian Open tennis tournament. Diallo, of Montreal, dropped a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 decision to American Marcos Giron.

The chief executive of Quebecor Inc. warned Thursday that the company’s French-language sports television programming could be in jeopardy amid rising costs for broadcasting rights.

TORONTO — Max Pacioretty started the playoffs in the press box. Now it's hard to imagine the Maple Leafs without their veteran winger punishing opposition defencemen, hounding pucks in the offensive zone and scoring important goals.

Fourteen years after defending his featherweight title against Canadian Mark (The Machine) Hominick before 55,724 fans at UFC 129 at Toronto's Rogers Centre, UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo is still going strong.

Maro Itoje will captain a British and Irish Lions squad for the rugby tour of Australia that contains 15 Irish players, just two Welshmen and an Englishman with only one international cap to his name.

TORONTO — Mitch Marner has experienced a whirlwind stretch — both at home and the rink. Joseph Woll waited patiently and prepared for a chance he knew might not arrive.

Several Ontario mayors have been calling on the province to ban financial incentives municipalities use to lure in doctors, saying the recruitment tactic is harming communities that can't pony up the cash – especially those in rural and northern regi

WINNIPEG — Mikko Rantanen’s teammates are soaking up his prowess with the puck -- again.