After a Thursday of travel and rest for several clubs, division rivalries are being dialed back up to maximum volume today. With a full slate of 15 games and 30 teams, there should be plenty more to talk about.

Home runs could rule the day on Friday, as several fly-ball-prone starters will ply their trade in hitter-friendly venues. DraftKings participants should consider the following hitters — who could capitalize on the aforementioned fact — and pitchers, whom I believe will prove to be among the most successful on the slate.

Justin Maxwell delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the top of the 12th to break a scoreless tie and give the Giants a 1-0 win over the Padres on Thursday.

On Thursday, the Astrodome celebrated its 50th birthday. And what a party it was. The “Eighth Wonder of the World” was alive and frolicking again. The crowd was in excess of 20,000, most coming in support to save the Dome.

Thursday was Opening Day in the Minor Leagues, as all the full-season leagues got underway. The return of the Minor Leagues also means the top prospects are back in action and they did not disappoint on Opening Day.

Padres right-hander Ian Kennedy may end up on the disabled list after suffering a left hamstring strain during Thursday’s game against the Giants.

Daniel Norris worked 5 2/3 solid innings to pick up his first big league win and Edwin Encarnacion homered late as the Blue Jays spoiled CC Sabathia’s return to a big league mound, posting a 6-3 victory over the Yankees on Thursday evening at Yankee Stadium.

Angel Pagan said he threw a piece of gum underneath Derek Norris after taking a first-pitch ball from Craig Kimbrel. But he insisted that he was trying to throw the gum, which was resting where he wanted to plant one of his feet in his batting stance, suitably clear of Norris.

For the 655th time in his career Rodriguez had struck a blow good for four total bases and a warm reception — a different sort of Bronx cheer. His first home run since Sept. 20, 2013 pleased him and made him a tad nostalgic. “It’s been a long time,” he said.

Thursday’s much-anticipated showdown between Mets ace Matt Harvey and Nationals slugger Bryce Harper was a decided win for the right-hander, who fanned Harper three times. Here, in words and pictures, is exactly what Harvey did.

CC Sabathia returned to the mound in a Major League game for the first time in 11 months Thursday, and surrendered five runs (four earned) on eight hits in the Yankees’ 6-3 loss to the Blue Jays.

Right-hander Miguel Castro continued his improbable journey through baseball Thursday night by recording the first save of his career.

Fantasy owners should not panic if their squads start slowly, as dropping a key player hastily could have long-lasting repercussions. However, it is a fine idea to use bench space during April to nab high-upside talent. With this in mind, I’ve recommended 10 potential waiver-wire options for smart mixed-league owners to consider.

Xander Bogaerts slugged a bases-clearing triple as the Red Sox jumped on Phillies starter David Buchanan for six runs in the third inning and cruised to a series win behind a solid six innings from Justin Masterson.

Alex Rodriguez hit his 655th career home run in Thursday’s 6-3 Yankees loss to the Blue Jays, a sixth-inning solo shot to left field off left-hander Daniel Norris. It marked Rodriguez’s first homer since Sept. 20, 2013, when he hit a grand slam off the Giants’ George Kontos.

The Tigers nearly became the second team in modern Major League history to open a season with three consecutive shutouts. They settled for an American League record of 24 consecutive scoreless innings, and one of the more one-sided season-opening series sweeps, finishing off the Twins with a 7-1 win on a rainy Thursday afternoon at Comerica Park.

So should we look at the National League East race any differently than we did, say, a week ago? Absolutely not. Nothing has changed even with Matt Harvey at his 98-mph best on Thursday afternoon, and despite the Braves being 3-0 and the Marlins 0-3.