One inning into Stephen Strasburg’s outing Thursday, Dusty Baker wasn’t sure the righty would last much longer. “He came off like he was close to needing mouth-to-mouth,” the Nationals manager quipped after a 6-2 win over the Braves. “I wasn’t going to give it to him.”

Jaime Garcia flirted with a no-hitter on Thursday before settling for a shutout, his first since 2011. He notched a career-high 13 strikeouts in the 1-hitter and induced a flurry of groundball contact to lift the Cardinals to a 7-0 win and series victory over the Brewers at Busch Stadium.

It was a bit of a Throwback Thursday for Eugenio Suarez in the series finale against the Cubs. Normally the Reds’ third baseman, Suarez started at his former position — shortstop.

Giants reliever Sergio Romo was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a flexor strain in his right elbow on Thursday.

Evan Longoria and the Rays believe they have the potential to make a serious run at the postseason in 2016, and manager Kevin Cash said the club’s frustration at their early struggles is a positive as they try to turn it around.

What’s ailing Wily Peralta? Whatever it is, the Brewers’ choice to pitch Opening Day is off to an rough start.

Marlon Byrd fastened his earrings near his locker, prepared to leave Tropicana Field after a satisfying series finale. The Indians right fielder, determined to prove he can still produce in the big leagues at 38 years old, revisited his part in a 6-0 win over the Rays with satisfaction.

Yu Darvish said Thursday that while he was pleased to take the next step in his return from Tommy John surgery, he’s far from close to being Major League ready.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch remains confident in setup man Ken Giles, who already has given up three home runs in the early going of the season.

Up in the press box, the official scorer saw it and prepared to announce a revised call. In the Cardinals’ dugout, manager Mike Matheny saw it, and summoned his young outfielder for a word.

Phillies fans will treat Vince Velasquez as one of their own if he keeps pitching like he did Thursday afternoon in a 3-0 victory over the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. Velasquez, 23, allowed 3 hits and struck out a career-high 16 in nine scoreless innings.

Chris Archer’s funk continued to play out on Tuesday afternoon when the Indians defeated the Rays’ ace to claim the rubber game of their three-game series with a 6-0 win.

Off the bat, the immediate question about Andrew McCutchen’s eighth-inning loft to right-center seemed to be whether it would stay in the confines of PNC Park. It did. As it bounced off the warning track and the fence, with Tigers center fielder Tyler Collins in chase, the RBI part of McCutchen’s double seemed like an afterthought. It was hit so deep that any play at the plate on John Jaso coming home seemed like a long shot.

Mat Latos put together his second straight quality start and the White Sox produced enough offense against Ervin Santana to claim a 3-1 victory Thursday and sweep the three-game series from the Twins at Target Field

Todd Frazier now features a .162 average following a 0-for-4 showing Thursday afternoon at Target Field.

Hank Conger’s streak of not throwing out would-be base stealers reached 44 during Thursday’s 6-0 Rays loss to the Indians.

With the rest of the Padres’ bats mired in a series-long Philadelphia funk, the brightest spot on offense this week was a player who didn’t crack San Diego’s Opening Day roster.