Dodgers' opener fizzles like a certain Game 7  —  LOS ANGELES—Matt Kemp began the ninth inning with a single, an afternoon of welcoming cheers still ringing in his ears.  —  The Dodgers trailed the San Francisco Giants by a single run, but that was about to change.

Stanton homers twice in debut, Yankees beat Blue Jays 6-1  —  TORONTO (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton homered twice, doubled and had four RBIs in his New York Yankees debut, a 6-1 win Thursday over the Toronto Blue Jays that gave Aaron Boone in a win in his first game as a professional manager.

Lamb loaded with confidence as D-backs host Rockies  —  PHOENIX — Arizona cleanup hitter Jake Lamb barely bats an eye when he bats with the bases loaded, and his numbers indicate the lack of stress works.  It is all about the repetitions, he said.  —  Lamb had a two-run double …

SEE IT: Mets reveal new ‘salt and pepper shaker’ team celebration in Opening Day win  —  The Mets are shaking things up with their team celebration.  —  During the Mets' 9-4 Opening Day win over the Cardinals, the team unveiled its new “salt and pepper shaker” celebration.

Luis Castillo embodies optimism Cincinnati Reds need in 2018  —  Cincinnati Reds right-hander Luis Casillo made his major league debut in June last season against the Washington Nationals.  —  Saturday he'll get a much earlier start to the season against the same team at Great American Ball Park.

Despite loss, Cleveland Indians believe Corey Kluber set important tone for team in 2018 opener  —  Despite Thursday's 2-1 loss to the Seattle Mariners, the Cleveland Indians believe ace starter Corey Kluber set an important tone for the team in the 2018 regular-season opener.  —  Author: Matthew Florjancic

A new day after sickening loss for Phillies |  Extra Innings  —  One down, 161 to go.  The Phillies' difficult-to-digest, season-opening 8-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves gave us a first glimpse of how rookie manager Gabe Kapler plans to run things from the dugout this season.

Albert Almora Jr. gets nod at leadoff spot for Cubs  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Albert Almora Jr.'s past success against left-handed pitchers was too good to pass up as he will bat leadoff Friday night instead of Ian Happ when the Cubs face the Marlins at Marlins Park.

‘Mad at the world’: David Price hopes he'll never have another season like 2017  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - As David Price left Vanderbilt in 2007, lured by a $5.6 million signing bonus after being drafted first overall by Tampa Bay, his college pitching coach offered a few parting words.

Braves Place Tyler Flowers On DL, Select Contract Of Miguel Socolovich  —  Braves catcher Tyler Flowers has been placed on the 10-day DL with a strained left oblique muscle, the team announced.  No timeline for his return was given, but oblique issues tend to sideline a player for a month or more.

Rough start for Cards, Martinez against Mets  —  NEW YORK  • Often out of sight but never out of mind, Carlos Martinez spent weeks of spring groping for consistency on the back fields against minor-leaguers, and his results were as erratic as his schedule sometimes appeared.

MLB average salary drops as new season opens, AP study finds  —  NEW YORK — The average major league salary on opening day dropped slightly following an offseason of slashed contracts for many free agents and the decisions to start three highly paid players in the minor leagues, according to study by The Associated Press.

MLB features most Puerto Ricans since 2011  —  MLB started the season with its most players born in Puerto Rico since 2011.  The overall percentage of players born outside the United States was 29 percent, down from last year's record 29.8 percent.

White Sox GM Rick Hahn is a Michigan man, so how does he feel about Loyola?  —  Chicago Tribune  —  White Sox general manager Rick Hahn wore a yellow and blue tie with his blue suit coat to opening day Thursday against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.  —  The colors didn't go unnoticed by the media.