The Legacy of Bobby Bonilla Day: A Baseball Trendsetter

On July 1st, Bobby Bonilla Day, the New York Mets will pay 59-year-old Bobby Bonilla $1,193,248.20, as they have been doing every year since 2011 and will continue to do so until 2035. This deferred payment arrangement was made in 2000 when the Mets bought out the remaining $5.9 million on Bonilla's contract. The Mets agreed to make annual payments of nearly $1.2 million for 25 years, including 8% interest. Other notable players, such as Bret Saberhagen, Max Scherzer, Manny Ramírez, Ken Griffey Jr., and Todd Helton, also have deferred-money contracts. Some current players in MLB will earn less than Bonilla's annual payment this season.