Wainwright gets nod as Cardinals face Diamondbacks  —  A new season starts with old traditions in St. Louis on Thursday night.  —  The Clydesdales making their usual jaunt around Busch Stadium.  The parade of Cardinals players in pickup trucks.  The team's Hall of Famers all dressed in red jackets …

Manaea goes 8 innings, pitches A's to 6-2 win over Rangers  —  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Even as Sean Manaea eased through a 1-2-3 eighth inning and retired his 10th consecutive batter, Oakland manager Bob Melvin had no intention on sending the young lefty back out for the ninth.  —  Not yet anyway.

Hawk Harrelson and A.J. Pierzynski take their act to Sox Park  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The beginning of the end for Hawk Harrelson starts today as the longtime White Sox announcer enters his final year of broadcasting.  —  “I've been lucky,” Harrelson said.  “I've been in the right place at the right time in a lot of places.”

Nationals give GM Mike Rizzo 2-year contract extension  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals have agreed to a two-year contract extension with general manager Mike Rizzo.  —  The team announced the deal on Thursday, hours before its home opener against the New York Mets.

Mets' Michael Conforto is back for Thursday's game vs. Nationals — and he's leading off  —  WASHINGTON — Michael Conforto is back.  —  The Mets activated the outfielder for Thursday's series opener against the Nationals.  Conforto, who started the year on the disabled list …

Gray, Rockies shut down Villanueva and Padres in 5-2 win … SAN DIEGO — Jon Gray pitched seven scoreless innings, Trevor Story and Ian Desmond each drove in two runs and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Diego Padres 5-2 on Wednesday night.  —  Gray (1-1) shut down the Padres a night …

Lester aims for better effort as Cubs face Brewers  —  MILWAUKEE — The major-league season is barely a week old, but it will almost certainly be a playoff-like atmosphere at Miller Park this weekend as the Milwaukee Brewers face the Chicago Cubs in a four-game series.

Facebook Watch, MLB hope to build off Phillies-Mets broadcast  —  Luckily baseball didn't add the designated hitter in the age of Facebook, which debuted its exclusive MLB broadcast package on Wednesday.  —  The rain-delayed Philadelphia Phillies-New York Mets game brought the first round of gripes …

Snow may await Mariners in Minnesota  —  MINNEAPOLIS — Right-hander Kyle Gibson takes the mound Thursday afternoon as the Minnesota Twins return to Target Field to face the Seattle Mariners in their 2018 home opener.  —  Gibson had a huge second half in 2017, going 7-3 with 3.76 ERA …

Happy Home Opener: How will you greet Gabe Kapler?  |  Extra Innings  —  Happy Home Opener!  I honestly cannot wait to see how the sellout crowd at Citizens Bank Park welcomes Gabe Kapler to Philadelphia today during the pregame introductions.  A loud ovation would be a pleasant surprise.

Pablo Sandoval calls homer against Felix Hernandez … San Francisco Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval followed through on his prediction that he would hit a homer off of Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez.  —  He did so by going yard in the fifth inning of the Giants' 10-1 win …

Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast: Answering your questions on Rays, Bucs, Lightning  —  Rick Stroud answers your questions on today's Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast, including the one word he would use to describe the Rays' start.Plus, what will the Bucs do in the draft?  Has your outlook

Blue Jays feel Grichuk will get a handle on his hitting soon  —  ARLINGTON, Texas — I asked Sam the retired taxi driver on Thursday for his thoughts on the off-season trade that brought Randal Grichuk to the Blue Jays from St. Louis.  —  “Give him time,” the longtime Cardinals fanatic said as we drove to Toronto's Pearson airport.

Munoz scores first big-league start as Carpenter moves to second for home opener  —  ST. LOUIS  • When the Cardinals set the pitching rotation midway through spring training, they set aside the home opener for Adam Wainwright.  So his appearance in the lineup, even by way of the disabled list, isn't a surprise.

Ohtani homers again, Cozart lifts Angels past Indians in 13  —  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit his second homer in two games at Angel Stadium in the fifth inning, and Zack Cozart had walk-off homer in the 13th inning of the Los Angeles Angels' 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday.