Sports News Roundup: NBA suspends Pistons F-C Isaiah Stewart; ATP roundup: Jakub Mensik advances to semis in Doha and more

The 32-year-old free agent batted .299 with 24 RBIs in 62 games with the Los Angeles Angels in 2023. NHL roundup: Auston Matthews scores Nos. 50, 51 Auston Matthews scored twice, surpassing the 50-goal mark, as the Toronto Maple Leafs stretched their win streak to a season-best five games with a 6-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday in Tempe, Ariz.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Reports: Tigers signing INF Gio Urshela to one-year deal

Infielder Gio Urshela is in agreement with the Detroit Tigers on a one-year, $1.5 million contract, multiple outlets reported Thursday. The 32-year-old free agent batted .299 with 24 RBIs in 62 games with the Los Angeles Angels in 2023.

NHL roundup: Auston Matthews scores Nos. 50, 51

Auston Matthews scored twice, surpassing the 50-goal mark, as the Toronto Maple Leafs stretched their win streak to a season-best five games with a 6-3 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday in Tempe, Ariz. William Nylander also had two goals, while Bobby McMann and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist for Toronto. Mitchell Marner added three assists, and Timothy Liljegren and TJ Brodie each had two assists. Ilya Samsonov made 23 saves for his fifth straight victory.

Bears OC Shane Waldron 'exchanging messages' with Justin Fields

Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron plans to build his system around the players available when he arrives at organized team activities. "Once we know each other, you do develop relationships with people, you get a chance to coach them harder and coach them better," Waldron said Thursday.

Brazil's Dani Alves gets 4-1/2 years for rape in Spain, will appeal

Brazilian footballer Dani Alves was convicted of raping a woman in the restroom of a Barcelona nightclub in 2022 and sentenced to 4-1/2 years in prison on Thursday, which he will appeal. The top court in Spain's Catalonia region also ordered Alves, who has been jailed on remand for over a year and repeatedly changed his story, to pay 150,000 euros ($163,000) to the victim.

NBA suspends Pistons F-C Isaiah Stewart

The NBA suspended Detroit Pistons forward-center Isaiah Stewart for three games without pay because of a Feb. 14 altercation with Phoenix Suns center Drew Eubanks before a game in Phoenix. The suspension was to begin with Thursday's road game with the Indiana Pacers, pending Stewart's physical readiness. Stewart is nursing a sprained left ankle and is listed as questionable.

ATP roundup: Jakub Mensik advances to semis in Doha

Unseeded Jakub Mensik of the Czech Republic recorded a 6-4, 7-6 (6) upset over top-seeded Andrey Rublev on Thursday to advance to the semifinals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha. Mensik, 18, reached his maiden tour-level semifinal after firing 10 aces to dispatch the Russian in 98 minutes. The victory over the World No. 5 marked Mensik's first Top 5 win in his career. He is the youngest player to accomplish that feat since Carlos Alcarez of Spain toppled Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece at the U.S. Open in 2021.

Erik van Rooyen rides front-nine 29 to lead at Mexico Open

Erik van Rooyen shot an 8-under-par 63 to take the first-round lead at the Mexico Open at Vidanta on Thursday in Vallarta, Mexico. Scorching the front nine with an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole and birdies on Nos. 3, 4, 7 and 9, van Rooyen went out in 29. The South African mixed in an eagle, a birdie and a bogey with his six pars on the back nine.

Soccer-Argentina switch friendlies to US after China cancels matches amid Messi fallout

Argentina will play two matches in the United States next month after Chinese sporting authorities cancelled friendlies featuring the World Cup champions amid a backlash against Lionel Messi's failure to play in an Inter Miami match in Hong Kong. Argentina's FA said on Thursday Lionel Scaloni's side will face El Salvador at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on March 22 before taking on Nigeria at the Coliseum in Los Angeles on March 26.

Gymnastics-Olympic champion Douglas delays return due to COVID

Three-times Olympic gold medallist Gabby Douglas has been forced to delay her return to competition ahead of this year's Paris Games after testing positive for COVID-19, the American gymnast said. The 2012 Olympics all-around individual and team champion has not competed since the 2016 Rio Games, taking time away to focus on her mental health. The 28-year-old returned to training last year hoping to make the squad for Paris.

Celtics handle Bulls for seventh consecutive win

Derrick White scored 28 points and Jayson Tatum followed with 25 to help the visiting Boston Celtics top the Chicago Bulls 129-112 on Thursday for their season-high seventh straight victory. In their first game back from the All-Star break, the league-best Celtics shot 54.2 percent, including 48.9 percent from long range.