How improved is Cardinals infield defense?  Ask Mikolas.  He's grounded  —  SAN DIEGO  • Outside of the first walk he allowed in almost a month, there wasn't much to Miles Mikolas' pitching line late Thursday that would have indicated what confessed afterward.

Meet the Mets, but can the Phillies beat the Mets?  |  Extra Innings  —  Only five teams in baseball — Boston, the New York Yankees, Houston, Atlanta and Arizona — have a better record than the Phillies after the Phils' four-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants.  The Phillies are 22-15.

Detroit Tigers to play straight doubleheader Saturday vs. Mariners  —  The Detroit Tigers will play a straight doubleheader on Saturday at Comerica Park, starting at 4:10 p.m., against the Seattle Mariners after Friday's game was postponed just before 8 p.m. due to inclement weather.

Contreras keeps on slugging, Cubs pound White Sox 11-2  —  CHICAGO (AP) - Willson Contreras had two homers, two doubles and drove in a career-high seven runs on his bobblehead day, and the Chicago Cubs pounded the crosstown White Sox 11-2 on Friday.  —  Contreras capped a five-run …

Gabe Kapler can relate to Mets manager Mickey Callaway's gaffe  —  Rough week for New York Mets rookie manager Mickey Callaway?  —  Gabe Kapler can sympathize.  —  In case you missed it, Callaway took the blame — and plenty of heat in the Big Apple — for the Mets batting out of order Wednesday.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Washington Nationals … Archie Bradley isn't one to pussyfoot around.  If he feels strongly about something, the Diamondbacks' bearded relief pitcher is going to tell you exactly how he feels.  Ask him for his opinion and Bradley will look you in the eye and give it to you straight.

Lindsay has 3 hits, leads St. Lucie to 11-2 win over Lakeland  —  PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) — Desmond Lindsay, Anthony Dimino, Luis Carpio and Ian Strom recorded three hits each, as St. Lucie beat the Lakeland Flying Tigers 11-2 on Friday.  —  Lindsay tripled and doubled twice, driving in four runs and scoring a pair.

Martinez homers, Red Sox rebound to cool off Yankees, 5-4  —  Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, left, center fielder Mookie Betts, center, and right fielder J.D. Martinez celebrate after the Red Sox defeated the New York Yankees 5-4 in a baseball game in New York, Thursday, May 10, 2018.

CC Sabathia, pride of Vallejo, has plans in case Yankees win the World Series  —  What do you do when you've done it all?  —  If you're CC Sabathia, pride of Vallejo, you do it again.  —  Then you walk away.  —  Sabathia, 37, a left-handed pitcher who has been picked to six All-Star teams …

Evan Longoria on the Rays: ‘I feel like an outsider looking in’  —  PHILADELPHIA — There's still a couple pieces of the Rays with Evan Longoria on the field every day, a blue rubber bracelet in honor of Joshua Fisher, one of the many cancer-stricken kids he met at the Trop …

Jim Kaat says 7-inning games would enhance pitching staffs, bring in new fans  —  Jim Kaat has been around baseball for most of his 79 years, and he doesn't like what he sees in the game today.  —  EDITOR'S PICKS  —  Should the Pirates build a statue for their former MVP?  Not if you ask him.

Cardinals bring back Cecil as lone lefty, place Lyons on DL  —  SAN DIEGO  • The ongoing refresh and resort of the Cardinals' bullpen continued Friday afternoon when the team placed Tyler Lyons on the disabled list with a sore back and brought Brett Cecil back from his rehab assignment.

Twins Release Mason Melotakis  —  The Twins have released 2012 second-round pick Mason Melotakis.  The Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, the affiliate with which Melotakis had been pitching, made the announcement (h/t LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune, on Twitter).

Blue Jays Place Marcus Stroman On Disabled List  —  The Blue Jays announced that they've placed right-hander Marcus Stroman on the 10-day disabled list due to right shoulder fatigue.  In addition, left-handed reliever Tim Mayza has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.