U.S. Major League Baseball’s (MLB) average salary rose 4.4 percent to US$4.38 million on opening day, according to a study of contract terms by The Associated Press, and the Los Angeles Dodgers topped spending for the third straight season.

    The Chicago Cubs boosted payroll by US$51 million, adding Jason Heyward, John Lackey and Ben Zobrist in an effort to win their first title since 1908.

    After beating the Cubs in the NL Championship Series and losing to Kansas City in the World Series, the New York Mets hiked spending by nearly US$38 million.

    Houston, coming off its first playoff appearance in a decade, raised payroll by almost US$26 million after starting last season with the lowest in the major leagues, and St. Louis also rose by nearly the same amount.

    Among the major North American leagues, the NBA has the highest average salary at US$6 million this season, according to its players’ union, a figure boosted by the league’s maximum roster of 13 active players per team.

    (SD-Agencies)