Bryant sent to minors

Third baseman Kris Bryant was reassigned by the Chicago Cubs to their minor league camp despite an outstanding spring training at the plate, triggering a threat of litigation from the players’ association.

Bryant hit .425 in the exhibition season with nine home runs and 15 runs batted in in 40 at-bats.

If the 23-year-old spends 12 days or more in the minor leagues, Chicago would delay him from becoming eligible for free agency by one year, until after the 2021 season, according to baseball’s collective bargaining agreement.

“Today is a bad day for baseball,” the Major League Baseball Players Assn. said in a statement. “I think we all know that even if Kris Bryant were a combination of the greatest players to play our game, and perhaps he will be before it’s all said and done, the Cubs still would have made the decision they made today. This decision, and other similar decisions made by clubs will be addressed in litigation, bargaining or both.”

Major League Baseball defended the Cubs’ decision.

Venus Williams defeated Caroline Wozniacki , 6-3, 7-6 (1), to reach the Miami Open quarterfinals in Key Biscayne, Fla.

Serena Williams defeated 2006 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova , 6-2, 6-3. The Williams sisters could meet in the final.

In men’s third-round play, fourtime champion Novak Djokovic beat qualif ier Steve Darcis , 6-0, 7-5, and will next face Alexandr Dolgopolov . No. 4 Kei Nishikori and No. 5 Milos Raonic also won.

Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley will undergo surgery Tuesday to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist and will sit out the remainder of the season, the team said.