Walker's 2-run HR helps Diamondbacks sweep Braves, 4-1  —  Christian Walker continues late-innings magic with 2-run homer as Diamondbacks beat Braves 4-1 to complete 3-game sweep  —  Christian Walker had no reason to panic when he struck out in his first three at-bats.

MLB Weekend Watch: Predictions, questions for all the top games  —  The defending champion Red Sox head to Tampa still mired in a season-long slump.  Fresh off an onslaught of the Cardinals, Christian Yelich leads the Brewers against the Dodgers in a rematch of last week's series.

MLB Headlines  —  WASHINGTON (AP) Now this is what the Washington Nationals were looking for when they plunked down $140 million to add Patrick Corbin to the rotation.  —  Corbin took a one-hitter into the eighth inning to earn his first win with Washington, and the Nationals beat …

Pete Alonso would love to get a crack at Home Run Derby in Cleveland  —  If they asked, the Mets' rookie first baseman “absolutely” would like to be involved and said doing the Derby is something he has long thought about.  —  PHILADELPHIA — The question was going to come eventually, so mid-April seems as good a time as any.

Indians prospect Benson hits 4 HRs in A-ball  —  Cleveland Indians prospect Will Benson hit four home runs for Class-A Lake County on Thursday night.  —  He's the first minor leaguer to hit four homers in a game since 2014, when Yankees prospect Mike Ford hit four for Class-A Charleston …

Tucker Barnhart says 'it's just a matter of time' before the Cincinnati Reds break out offensively  —  SAN DIEGO - Looking around the clubhouse, Reds hitters feel like they can break out of their offensive struggles at any time.  They feel like they have too many proven hitters to stay in a funk.

Rangers option lefty Bird to Triple-A Nashville  —  ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers have optioned left-hander Kyle Bird to Triple-A Nashville after his second stint in the majors this season.  —  Bird has a 6.75 ERA with a save in five relief appearances for the Rangers in his first big league action.

Sources: A's slugger Davis gets $33.5M extension  —  Oakland Athletics slugger Khris Davis has signed a two-year extension that will keep him under contract through the 2021 season, the team announced Thursday.  —  The A's did not disclose financial terms, but sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan that the deal is for $33.5 million.

Fantasy baseball daily notes: Pitcher and hitter rankings for Saturday  —  Saturday brings us plenty of aces, with Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, Gerrit Cole, Aaron Nola and Trevor Bauer all taking the mound.  In the next tier, we have Jameson Taillon, Luis Castillo, Charlie Morton, Zack Greinke …

Real or not?  World Series hangovers are a bunch of nonsense  —  Last spring training, after the Astros had won the World Series, then-Houston starter Dallas Keuchel was asked about the possibility of a World Series hangover.  Keuchel's response: “We're not the Cubs.”

Bellinger, Muncy, Urias lead Dodgers past Brewers 3-1  —  Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich chatted in the outfield after batting practice ended.  Once Thursday's game started, the bats of the National League home run co-leaders kept the exchange going.  —  Bellinger hit his 10th home run …

Yankees need to light a spark against Royals this weekend  —  NEW YORK — Suddenly, the New York Yankees are searching for a new spark, with CC Sabathia set to make his second start of the season Friday night.  —  Sabathia is scheduled to oppose Kansas City Royals right-hander Jakob Junis …

Kyle Hendricks looks to get out of rut as Cubs face Diamondbacks at windy Wrigley Field  —  Chicago Tribune  —  Daniel Descalso will lead off and start at second Friday as the Cubs begin a three-game series against the Diamondbacks.  Kyle Hendricks, 0-3 and off to the worst start of his career, will pitch.

Detroit Tigers poke fun at themselves, after ugly win ends 5-game skid  —  Ron Gardenhire never attends the Detroit Tigers' hitters meetings.  —  There is no need, he has explained before.  He has two hitting coaches, and even if he didn't, what could his players learn from a self-proclaimed …

5 things to know about the Braves on Friday  —  Here are five things to know about the Braves on Friday:  — Toussaint gets first start of season: Righthander Touki Toussaint will make his first start of the season as the Braves face the Indians in Cleveland.

Two Royals players want to race The Freeze during series in Atlanta  —  The Royals' schedule this year includes games against the National League East teams, so they'll be in Atlanta for a two-game series in July.  —  That will give the team a chance to watch Nigel Talton do his thing.

Yankees dump Kate Smith's ‘God Bless America’ from rotation over singer's racist songs  —  The Yankees have taken a stand against racism for their seventh-inning stretch.  —  For 18 years, Yankee Stadium regularly used Kate Smith's 1939 recording of “God Bless America” in the middle of the seventh inning.