In Friday’s 7-5 victory over the Astros, Dan Uggla went 1-for-2 to raise his batting average to .292 with a homer and four RBIs. Manager Matt Williams has declined to label Uggla as a backup.

Roenis Elias had another solid start Friday as the 26-year-old Cuban continues making his bid for the fifth spot in the Mariners’ rotation, but the competition remains fierce for that final opening on Seattle’s starting staff.

Clayton Kershaw was followed on the mound on Friday by three impressive innings from Dodgers relievers J.P. Howell, Adam Liberatore and David Aardsma against Oakland.

The Phillies answered any remaining third-base questions on Friday morning when they sent top prospect Maikel Franco to Minor League camp. That means the job still belongs to Cody Asche, and his performance so far this spring has been encouraging to the club.

Chris Sale threw a live bullpen session Friday at Camelback Ranch, indicating that the southpaw is moving in the right direction as part of his recovery from an avulsion fracture in his right foot sustained Feb. 27 during an accident at his Arizona home.

A day after logging his first spring hit, Ryan Braun hit his first home run in Friday’s 5-3 Cactus League win over the D-backs at Maryvale Baseball Park.

Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw remained in Friday’s game against the A’s after taking a broken-bat line drive to the face in the bottom of the third inning.

The second-best left-handed pitcher in the Major Leagues named “Clayton” (there are only two of them) was all smiles after his longest outing of Spring Training. Clayton Richard also confirmed having an “out” in the Minor League contract he signed with the Pirates on Dec. 3 — but hopes not to have to use it.

Fredi Gonzalez was let go by the Marlins in 2010 right about the time that Giancarlo Stanton made his Major League debut. The Braves manager reflected on Stanton before he became a mega star.

Both aces — Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers and Sonny Gray for the A’s — turned in solid outings Friday afternoon in Oakland’s 3-2 walk-off win.

The Cubs hit four home runs, including Arismendy Alcantara’s two-run shot in the seventh inning to pull away from the White Sox, 10-7, on Friday in Cactus League action.

Jon Jay made his first Grapefruit League appearance for the Cardinals on Friday and went 1-for-3 with a clean single in his final at bat.

Mike Zunino, getting a start at designated hitter, had two home runs for the Mariners in Friday afternoon’s 4-4 tie against the Rangers. He had a solo shot off Jon Edwards in the fourth inning and a two-run home run off Spencer Patton in the sixth. He was 2-for-3 in the game and is 8-for-23 this spring.

Athletics switch-pitcher Pat Venditte earned his first Cactus League win with two scoreless innings in a 3-2 victory over the Rockies on Friday at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.

It’s the primary trio that is of the utmost interest, and it’s a safe bet that neither the Marlins nor Pirates would trade their own outfield for the other. The rest of baseball, meanwhile, would happily grab either one.

The MLBPipeline.com staff ranked the top 10 farm systems in the game by considering which organizations have an abundance of elite-level prospect talent as well as depth, in terms of future big leaguers up and down the system. The Cubs came out on top, followed by the Red Sox, Twins, Pirates and Mets.

Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer had another solid outing in a 7-5 victory over the Astros on Friday afternoon. He tossed five innings, striking out six and drawing a walk in one of his two plate appearances.