Freddie Freeman put together a strong opening six weeks in 2017 before a fractured wrist sidelined him for two months, and the first baseman again is off to a great start as the Atlanta Braves open a nine-game road trip Friday at the Colorado Rockies. Freeman hit .421 in helping the Braves win four of their first six games, and enters Friday leading or close to the major-league lead in runs scored (nine), RBIs (nine), walks (10) and on-base percentage (.621).

The Cleveland Indians struggled to uncork their offense during the final two contests of a season-opening six-game road trip. After totaling four runs and eight hits in back-to-back losses, the Indians hope their bats are active Friday as they begin a 10-game homestand with the opener of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals.

The Baltimore Orioles attempt to win consecutive games for the first time this season when they visit the New York Yankees on Friday for the second contest of their four-game set. Baltimore, which hadn't won since its season opener, halted its five-game losing streak Thursday as it staged a five-run rally in the seventh inning en route to a 5-2 triumph.

Gregory Polanco has recorded just six hits in six games to open the season but is making them count, hitting five for extra bases while collecting nine RBIs to help the Pittsburgh Pirates to a rousing 5-1 start. The 26-year-old outfielder looks to record another productive performance when the Pirates host the struggling Cincinnati Reds on Friday for the second contest of the four-game series between the National League Central Division rivals.

The Toronto Blue Jays rebounded from a pair of franchise-worst offensive performances to start the season and put together a solid seven-game homestand. The Blue Jays will face a challenge to continue that momentum when they kick off a rugged nine-game road trip with the first of three against the Texas Rangers on Friday night at Globe Life Park.

Back-to-back shutouts are no reason for the Milwaukee Brewers to panic, as the Chicago Cubs showed them first-hand. The Brewers will try to follow the Cubs’ lead and break out of their offensive slump when the National League Central rivals continue their four-game series Friday in Milwaukee.

Home cooking seems to be agreeing with Josh Reddick, who shook off a rough opening series on the road and appears to be every bit as comfortable at Minute Maid Park as he was last season. The red-hot outfielder looks to remain locked in at the plate a bit longer when his Houston Astros begin interleague play Friday with the first of three games against the visiting San Diego Padres.

The Los Angeles Angels entered the season with the most intriguing player in the league in Japanese two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani and it's hardly a coincidence that the club is off to its best start in 11 years. Winners of five of their first seven, the Angels continue a six-game homestand when they host the Oakland Athletics in a rematch of the season-opening series.

The Los Angeles Dodgers' offense sputtered out of the blocks in the first series against the San Francisco Giants and is hitting the skids once again heading into Friday's opener of a three-game set at AT&T Park. The Dodgers mustered seven hits en route to dropping back-to-back 1-0 losses to the Giants, with Joe Panik belting a solo homer in both contests for San Francisco.