Conventional wisdom says Astros first-base prospect A.J. Reed will start the season with the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies despite his 3-for-4 performance in Thursday’s 8-5 win over the Mets, which included a bizarre inside-the-park home run. It’s 25-year-old hitting machine Tyler White that continues to set the tone in the first-base competition.

The Pirates’ stretch run toward Opening Day has begun. Following Thursday’s 6-5 loss to the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium, there are seven days and eight games standing between the Pirates and a flight out of Florida.

If your goal is to win your fantasy league, then a few “stick-out-your-neck” selections may be necessary. And what’s the best way to take such a leap? By targeting rebound candidates who have previously been there and won that on the Major League level.

Twins manager Paul Molitor knew of the power numbers Byung Ho Park had put up playing in Korea, but he wasn’t sure how the slugger might adjust to Major League pitching. So far, Park appears to be making the adjustment just fine in Molitor’s eyes.

Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in Thursday’s 4-1 victory over the Mets.

A bizarre inside-the-park homer by A.J. Reed sparked a three-run Astros rally against Matt Harvey on Thursday, leading Houston to an 8-5 win over the Mets at Tradition Field. Dallas Keuchel tossed five scoreless innings for the Astros.

When the Royals defeated the Mets in the 2015 World Series, they earned their hardware: the Commissioner’s Trophy and rings for the players.

Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval will be sidelined for the next few days with lower back stiffness, which will give Travis Shaw — the talk of camp this spring — a chance for more playing time.

Reds right-hander Homer Bailey took another step on Thursday along the long road to recovery from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his elbow when he pitched two innings of live batting practice at the club’s Spring Training complex.

The Orioles have acquired left-handed pitcher Edgar Olmos from the Cubs in exchange for a player to be named later.

The Blue Jays and Tigers were swinging early and often on Thursday afternoon, as both R.A. Dickey and Matt Boyd were hit around in their respective starts in Toronto’s 6-4 victory at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.

The Padres granted righty reliever Casey Janssen his release on Wednesday, adding a small bit of clarity to a crowded bullpen battle.

That’s why you keep running.

Dan Warthen still winces a bit when he recalls Jeurys Familia’s trickery exploited. Familia had just thrown a sinker so devilish to Alex Gordon that the Royals outfielder spun in place while fouling it off. Watching from the Kauffman Stadium visitors’ dugout in the ninth inning of World Series Game 1, Warthen, the Mets’ pitching coach, wanted Familia to throw the exact same thing again — same grip, same timing, same location, same everything.

Opening Day is coming, so get your #CapsOn.

Joe Kelly lowered his spring ERA to 1.35 with seven strong innings and Xander Bogaerts hit a home run as the Red Sox topped the Mets, 4-1.

It has been eight years since Tommy Pham was diagnosed with an eye condition called keratoconus, which causes visual distortion. He has visited several eye specialists and toyed with various solutions, but he has yet to stick with one.