Jon Lester was healthy, effective and generally what the Cubs were looking for in a late-March Spring Training start. Against the Brewers on Friday at Sloan Park, Lester pitched five scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and one walk and striking out two.

When Yasmany Tomas reported for his first Major League Spring Training last season, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said he “needs to get in better shape.”

Start loading the ark, everyone.

Albert Pujols exited Friday’s game in the top of the fourth, one inning after taking a breaking ball to his surgically repaired right foot.

Mike Trout homered, and Jered Weaver completed five innings in his first Cactus League start in more than two weeks, helping the Angels secure a 11-3 victory over the host A’s at Hohokam Stadium on Friday afternoon.

Robin Ventura has been asked twice this week to name his Opening Day shortstop: Tyler Saladino or Jimmy Rollins. On both occasions, the White Sox manager politely but forcefully declined.

Rob Refsnyder’s crash course at the hot corner has come with a few bumps and bruises. The novice third baseman had to exit Friday’s 11-10 loss to the Orioles after being struck in the face by a bad-hop grounder in the 10th inning.

Edwin Encarnacion appears to be turning a corner in his rehab from a strained oblique muscle, and the Blue Jays slugger is tentatively scheduled to appear in a Minor League game on Monday afternoon.

Minnesota infielder Trevor Plouffe and catcher Kurt Suzuki look like they’re ready for Opening Day. Each hit two home runs at Charlotte Sports Park on Friday as the Twins powered past the Rays, 6-1.

Third baseman Pablo Sandoval said Friday he is feeling “way, way, way better” after injuring his back diving for a ball on Tuesday off the bat of the Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton. The Red Sox had their only off-day of the Grapefruit League schedule on Wednesday, and Sandoval has been out of the lineup since the injury.

Noah Syndergaard cracked triple digits on the radar gun in striking out nine over six innings Friday, but the Cardinals put up a three-spot in the ninth to rally for a 5-5 tie at Tradition Field.

The Phillies clearly like what they have seen from manager Pete Mackanin this spring. The Phillies announced Friday that Mackanin agreed to a two-year contract that carries him through the 2017 season. The deal includes a 2018 club option.

Marlins manager Don Mattingly has pretty much settled on the top of his batting order, at least the first four spots. What’s still being evaluated in how best to protect the club’s most feared player, cleanup hitter Giancarlo Stanton.

The battle for the Yankees’ final rotation spot has been “the biggest story in camp right now,” as manager Joe Girardi put it. By surrendering three home runs to the Orioles during the Yanks’ 11-10 loss on Friday, Ivan Nova may have slapped a conclusion on it.

On Monday, April 4, we’re asking you all to wear your baseball caps to celebrate Opening Day.

While many think of Mexico as a soccer-first country, the baseball passion runs deep. And this love of baseball is one of many reasons Major League Baseball will be in Mexico City this weekend for a pair of Padres-Astros exhibition games on Saturday and Sunday.

Since its release, the MLB.com Fantasy Player Preview has undergone more than 200 tweaks, with a few changes that stand out as especially significant.