Cardinals set opening roster, remove Lucas, Valera to make room for Hicks, Pena  —  • After making two moves they hope won't erode the depth they might need later, the Cardinals finalized their 25-man roster for Thursday's opening day at Citi Field.  —  To make room for Jordan Hicks …

MLB salaries 2018: A 3.5% raise for average major leaguer - but future commitments dipping  —  TORONTO - The free-agent market was a dud this winter, leaving Major League Baseball players and their agents seething.  —  Ultimately, baseball's average salary compared to 2017 amounted to a cost-of-living bump …

Verlander, Hamels duel on opening day for Astros, Rangers  —  There will be no love lost between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros when the Lone Star State rivals meet Thursday afternoon at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas on opening day in Major League Baseball.

Analysis: Why the Mariners will end the drought this season, and why they won't  —  The Mariners have the pieces to field their most potent lineup in years, but there's more than just a lack of starting pitching that could extend their playoff drought to 17 seasons.  —  Three reasons why...

Tigers-Pirates opener postponed because of weather  —  DETROIT — The season opener between the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates has been postponed because of bad weather.  —  The game has been pushed back to Friday.  —  The Tigers announced the postponement about four hours …

Cubs not taking Marlins, or any team, for granted  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The Marlins may have as many as a dozen players participating in opening-day festivities for the first time.  —  Their No. 2 starter, Caleb Smith, was a Rule 5 pick whom the Cubs returned to the Yankees last spring.

Mets have discussed adding reliever Greg Holland, according to sources  —  The Mets may have one big more up their sleeve.  —  The team has recently discussed adding free agent closer Greg Holland, according to sources.  Holland is the top remaining free agent pitcher.

New-look Royals open versus White Sox  —  Kansas City Royals lost a couple key contributors during the offseason when  —  San Diego Padres and Lorenzo Cain joined the  —  Milwaukee Brewers.  —  Then the Royals learned this week that they lost five-time All-Star catcher

Rusty Staub, beloved Mets icon, dead at 73  —  In every way, Rusty Staub, the beloved Mets' hitting icon, who passed away early Thursday morning at age 73, was bigger than life — a bigger-than-life baseball personality, humanitarian, gourmet chef, wine connoisseur, friend-to-all and …

Dodgers' Toles is optioned to minors  —  LOS ANGELES — In one of the final moves in constructing their opening-day roster, the Los Angeles Dodgers optioned outfielder Andrew Toles to triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday, clearing a path for outfielder Joc Pederson and utility man Kyle Farmer to occupy the last two spots on the bench.

Anthony Rizzo urges stricter gun laws and defends ‘bullied’ Stoneman Douglas students  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The Cubs wore Stoneman Douglas High Schol T-shirts before Thursday's opener to honor the victims of the mass shooting on Feb. 14, and first baseman Anthony Rizzo lauded the student activists for speaking out on our gun laws.

Yankees place Greg Bird, Jacoby Ellsbury and Clint Frazier on disabled list ahead of Opening Day  —  TORONTO — The Yankees made the following roster moves prior to Opening Day:  — Greg Bird was placed on the 10-day disabled list after undergoing right ankle surgery on Tuesday.

A healthy Garrett Richards opens Angels' season with optimism  —  OAKLAND — On a team whose starting pitchers have been victims of a raft of injuries over the past few years, Garrett Richards stands alone in a couple ways.  —  He's had the most serious injuries.  He's also performed the best when healthy.

Salvy Sidelined  —  Salvador Perez has been the most durable catcher in the majors over the past five seasons, but he's going to get a late start on his 2018 campaign after suffering a Grade 2 MLC tear in his left knee.  —  According to Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star …