AROUND THE HORN

MLB:

The Padres cut payroll by $96 million in the last 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 salary increased 1.5% to $4.98 million on opening day, according to a study by the AP. That was down from an 11.1% rise last year to $4.91 million and a 6% increase in 2022 following the end of the spring training lockout. Other teams cutting were the White Sox (by $47 million), Rockies ($33 million), Twins ($32 million), Tigers ($20 million), Red Sox ($15 million) and Brewers ($12 million). Several top free agents — including two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and 2019 NL MVP Cody Bellinger — remained unsigned into spring training and took shorter-team deals than they anticipated. “It’s a concern,” said Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt, his team’s player representative, adding he took notice “when you have reigning Cy Young, when you have seven or eight guys that are really, really good not signed.” Last year’s percentage increase was the largest since a 13.9% jump in 2001, a promising gain for players following a pair of sluggish free agent markets, the pandemic and a 99-day lockout ahead of a labor deal in March 2022. During spring training this year, a faction of players attempted to oust union negotiator Bruce Meyer in an effort that appears to have failed. The biggest increases from the start of last year were by the Astros (up $44 million), Cubs ($38 million), Orioles ($33 million) and Dodgers and Yankees ($28 million each). The Mets at $306 million topped payrolls for the second straight season and were followed by the Yankees ($303 million), Dodgers ($250 million), Phillies ($243 million) and Astros ($237 million). Commissioner Rob Manfred has cited a cyclical market and the reticence of some teams to make commitments with uncertain revenue from regional sports networks. The players’ association said it didn’t yet have its calculations and wasn’t in a position to comment. The Mets are paying $70 million this year to other teams to cover portions of salaries of three players they traded: the Astros’ Justin Verlander ($31.3 million), Rangers’ Max Scherzer ($30.8 million) and Orioles’ James McCann ($8 million). That total is more than the entire $61 million payroll of the A’s.

Astros: All-Star LHP Framber Valdez was scratched from his scheduled start Monday against the Rangers because of left elbow soreness. The Astros called up RHP Blair Henley from Triple-A Sugar Land to start in place of Valdez. The 26-year-old was set for his major league debut at the home of the Rangers, just a few miles from his hometown of Fort Worth. Manager Joe Espada said Valdez played catch Sunday and reported soreness in the elbow. The 30-year-old returned to Houston for further evaluation. Valdez had no-decisions in his first two starts, both Astros’ losses. He has allowed three runs in 12 innings with six walks and 10 strikeouts. Valdez was 12-11 with a 3.45 ERA in a second consecutive All-Star season in 2023.