Nets solidify No. 6 seed with huge victory over Magic, will take on 76ers in first round  —  Friday night was merely a formality.  —  With the Eastern Conference's sixth and final guaranteed playoff seed hanging in the balance, and a date with a short-handed and low-ranked Orlando Magic team on the docket …

Chicago White Sox pitching gets pummeled again in a 13-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates: 'It's just one of those stretches'  —  PITTSBURGH — Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. thought he had drawn a walk.  —  But Pittsburgh Pirates starter Rich Hill got a called strike, running the count full in a fifth-inning matchup.

Phillies' Darick Hall set for surgery after baserunning injury  —  Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Darick Hall will undergo surgery for a torn ligament in his right thumb, he told reporters Friday.  —  Hall suffered the injury during Wednesday's loss to the New York Yankees when his hand landed …

Yankees 3B Josh Donaldson likely headed to injured list  —  BALTIMORE — New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson likely will be headed to the injured list with a right hamstring injury, manager Aaron Boone said Friday afternoon.  —  Donaldson was removed in the second inning …

Clarke Schmidt's struggles continue in Yankees' loss to Orioles  —  BALTIMORE — The Orioles' home opener featured fireworks before and during their 7-6 win over the Yankees on Friday.  —  Following a pregame ceremony that involved actual pyrotechnics and Oriole orange smoke, both teams provided explosives via their lineups.

Rays beat A's, extend season-opening win streak to seven  —  ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Isaac Paredes hit a grand slam during Tampa Bay's six-run second inning, and the Rays beat the Oakland Athletics 9-5 on Friday night to extend their season-opening win streak to seven games.

Why KC Royals were eager for change of scenery ... leading to first road win of 2023  —  Speaking in the dugout at Oracle Park ahead of the Royals' first road game of 2023, interim manager Paul Hoover suggested a change of scenery might do a struggling Kansas City team well.

Tylor Megill throws six scoreless innings, Mets slug three homers to win home opener over Marlins  —  Overcast skies and coat-worthy temperatures aside, the Mets received a warm welcome home Friday afternoon.  —  They beat the eternally rebuilding Marlins, 9-3, for a fourth time in five games this season …

Magic sit starters, drop final home game to Cavaliers  —  Even after being eliminated from postseason contention, the Orlando Magic still had something to play in Thursday's 118-94 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  —  The Magic entered the matchup .500 at home, vying for their first winning record at Amway Center in four seasons.

Aaron Rodgers is worth the wait because he will make the Jets matter again  —  The Jets and the Packers are still hitting the pause button on Aaron Rodgers.  It means that Jets fans are still waiting — while hoping that something doesn't go wrong, just because these are the Jets we're talking about here …