HOT CORNER

1 PRO BASEBALL:

San Diego cut its payroll by $96 million in the past year, the Mets by $50 million and the Angels by $49 million, among nine teams that slashed spending in a tepid free agent market that sparked player unrest. The average major league salary increased 1.5%, to $4.98 million on opening day, says a study by The Associated Press. That was down from a 6% rise in 2022 following the end of the spring training lockout and an 11.1% increase last year to $4.91 million. Other teams cutting were the White Sox (by $47 million), Colorado ($33 million), Minnesota ($32 million), Detroit ($20 million), Boston ($15 million) and Milwaukee ($12 million).

2 PRO BASEBALL:

Outfielder Robbie Grossman has a $1.5 million salary while in the major leagues and a $180,000 salary while in the minors as part of his one-year contract with the Chicago White Sox. Grossman, 34, can earn $2.5 million in performance bonuses for plate appearances. Grossman was called up to the White Sox on Friday and went 0-for-9 in the weekend series at Kansas City. He has gone 4-for-10 with two homers and five RBIs for Triple-A Charlotte. Grossman has played for six major league teams in his 12-year career, including Atlanta in 2022.

3 PRO TENNIS:

Two-time champion Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced to the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters after Laslo Djere retired. Tsitsipas was leading 6-3, 3-2 when the unseeded Djere pulled out with an unspecified injury. Tsitsipas won the title in 2021 and 2022. Grigor Dimitrov had little trouble beating local player Valentin Vacherot. Felix Auger-Aliassime didn’t concede a break point in beating qualifier Luca Nardi.

4 PRO BASKETBALL:

The NBA fined the New York Knicks $25,000 after Mitchell Robinson was listed as“out” on an initial injury report, then played in a game against Toronto. Robinson’s 50-game absence because of a left ankle injury ended in the Knicks’ 145-101 victory over the Raptors on March 27. Robinson, a 7-foot center, scored eight points in 12 minutes. Robinson has played in six of seven games since returning from his absence.