National Sports

MONTREAL — CF Montreal president and chief executive officer Gabriel Gervais says he expected some backlash over the hiring of Sandro Grande as coach of its under-23 academy team.

The long road to the Canadian curling championships begins in earnest this week with the kickoff of the provincial playdowns, a process that will eventually fill the fields for the national showcases later this winter.

Victor Vazquez was cheering for his native Spain at the recent World Cup but he still celebrated Argentina's tournament win.

Toronto Raptors forward Otto Porter Jr. will miss the remainder of the 2022-23 NBA season after undergoing surgery on his left foot. Porter was limited to eight games in his first season in Toronto and averaged 5.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 18.

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to terms with infielder Brandon Belt on a US$9.3-million, one-year contract.

Another day, another NFL workout for Canadian Nathan Rourke. The star CFL quarterback had a workout Tuesday with the New York Giants. It came a day after the 24-year-old Victoria native had a session with the Kansas City Chiefs.

TORONTO — T.J. Brodie is back on the sidelines. The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed the veteran defenceman on injured reserve with a rib issue after he sat out Sunday's 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Carlos Correa reversed course for a second time, agreeing Tuesday to a $200 million, six-year contract that keeps him with the Minnesota Twins after failing to complete deals with the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants, a person familiar with the

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays acquired right-hander Zach Thompson from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday in exchange for minor-league outfielder Chavez Young. Thompson made 22 starts for Pittsburgh last season.

It's a story that's now trending in a positive direction, but Damar Hamlin's horrific injury is providing the CFL, its executives and its head coaches with a talking point at the league's winter meetings.