NEW YORK – A study by The Associated Press determined the average major league salary on opening day dropped slightly following an off-season of slashed contracts for many free agents and the decisions to start three highly paid players in the minor leagues.

The $4.41 million average Thursday fell 0.9 per cent from last year’s starting figure of $4.45 million, according to the AP’s calculations. It was only the second drop since the end of the 1994-95 strike, after a 2.7 decrease in 2004.

Two late-signing free agent pitchers were optioned to farm teams just ahead of Thursday’s openers to get more preparation time: Philadelphia’s Jake Arrieta and Baltimore’s Alex Cobb. If they had remained in the majors, the average would have been down just $1,380. And if Arizona had not sent down outfielder Yasmany Tomas, the average would have been up 0.2 per cent to $4.46 million.

Boston had a $224 million payroll and topped the major leagues for the first time since at least the 1980s. San Francisco was next at $207 million, followed by the Chicago Cubs ($182 million), Washington ($181 million), the Los Angeles Dodgers ($179 million), the Los Angeles Angels ($170 million) and the New York Yankees in seventh at $167 million — their lowest payroll since 2003.

World Series champion Houston was 10th at $158 million. Philadelphia was last at $64.5 million — but that doesn’t include Arrieta’s $30 million. Oakland was next-to-last at $66 million.

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