Jason Vargas may join Mets as soon as next weekend  —  ATLANTA — Jason Vargas will see a doctor on Saturday to be cleared for his minor league rehab start.  The veteran left hander is expected to make a start Monday for Triple-A Las Vegas, Mets manager Mickey Callaway said before the Mets game against the Braves at SunTrust Park.

Next Slide  —  What happened: The Detroit Tigers lost to the Kansas City Royals, 3-2, on Friday evening at Comerica Park.  Not helped by his defense, closer Shane Greene picked up his second blown save of the season.  Greene allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in the top of the ninth inning.

5 astonishing facts from the Red Sox's historic 16-2 start  —  The red-hot Boston Red Sox, who own a MLB-best 16-2 record, are off to a historic start.  —  Their record after 18 games is the best in franchise history and they are the first team to win 16 of its first 18 games since the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers started 17-1.

New Cincinnati Reds pitching coach Danny Darwin's theory: First observe the pitches, then get them to throw inside  —  ST. LOUIS - Danny Darwin, tasked with turning around the Reds pitching staff, will start by just watching.  —  “The first few days, just kind of touch and feel, see what these guys are going through,” Darwin said.

Struggling Blue Jays outfielder Grichuk finally shown the bench  —  NEW YORK — Blue Jays right-fielder Randal Grichuk is hitting so poorly, the American Astronomical Society is apparently thinking of naming a black hole after him.  —  In 18 games, Grichuk's .088 batting average is the second-lowest in MLB …

White Sox are 1st MLB team to ditch single-use plastic straws  —  Photos from a tour of the White Sox's Guaranteed Rate Field before the 2018 home opener.  —  Chicago Tribune  —  The White Sox are ditching straws this season as part of the Shedd Aquarium's “Shedd the Straw” initiative.

Giants ace Madison Bumgarner has pins removed from broken finger  —  Madison Bumgarner had pins removed from the broken pinkie on his pitching hand Thursday, and the San Francisco Giants are hopeful that their ace can start playing catch in the next two weeks.

A few Yankees say they'd be in favor of shorter MLB season, but it will all come down to money  —  Rob Manfred believes it is “realistic” to shorten the regular season by as many as eight games, but the MLB commissioner stated the obvious on Friday that the Players Association would have to be on board …

Pitcher goes from working at Miller Brewery to facing the Brewers  —  When the Florida Marlins take the field Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers, the man who will take the mound is the same guy who, 15 months ago, was selling trinkets in the MillerCoors gift shop two miles away.

Phillies, Rhys Hoskins don't panic with two strikes  —  Rhys Hoskins kickstarted the Phillies' five-run second inning Thursday night by crushing a pitch through a stiff wind and over the left-field fence at Citizens Bank Park.  —  But it didn't happen until Hoskins was in a two-strike count.

Column: Champion Astros showing no signs of World Series hangover  —  Carlos Rodon and Rick Hahn on Rodon's recovery: ‘We expect him back late May or early June.’ (Colleen Kane/Chicago Tribune)  —  Chicago Tribune  —  When the Cubs and Indians got off to poor starts in the first half of 2017 …

Lewicki leads Toledo to 3-0 win over Scranton/WB  —  SCRANTON, Pa. (AP) — Artie Lewicki allowed just three hits over six innings, leading the Toledo Mud Hens over the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in a 3-0 win on Friday.  —  Lewicki (2-1) picked up the win after he struck out seven and walked three.

Iowan Jeremy Hellickson committed to winning, focused on the present  —  When it came to finding a new team, Jeremy Hellickson was willing to sacrifice better contract offers for a better chance to win.  —  The Des Moines native was so intent on playing meaningful baseball …

A broken elbow broke his spirit, but Rangers' Andrus says he's improving  —  ARLINGTON  —  One road trip away from the Texas Rangers was one too many.  —  Elvis Andrus isn't staying home again, no matter how little he will be able to do while he waits for his broke right elbow to heal.

Salter leads Lakeland to 7-1 win over Florida  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Blaise Salter doubled and singled twice, as the Lakeland Flying Tigers exploded for a season-high in runs in a 7-1 win over the Florida Fire Frogs on Friday.  —  Down 3- in the fifth, Florida cut into the lead …

Wagner hits walk-off homer, Tampa beats Clearwater 4-3  —  TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Brandon Wagner hit a walk-off solo homer, as the Tampa Tarpons defeated the Clearwater Threshers 4-3 on Friday.  —  The Tarpons scored two runs in the eighth before Clearwater answered in the next half-inning …