Steve Vladeck
‪@stevevladeck.bsky.social‬

Thanks to everyone who’s gone out of their way to wish me a Happy Bobby Bonilla Day….

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11:37 AM · Jul 1, 2026

What is Bobby Bonilla Day? Why Mets pay $1.19M every July 1

Dan Mullen
Jul 1, 2026, 07:00 AM ET

It's July 1, and that means it's time for Mets fans everywhere to wish each other a Happy Bobby Bonilla Day! Why? On Wednesday, 63-year-old Bobby Bonilla will receive a check for $1,193,248.20 from the New York Mets, as he has and will every July 1 from 2011 through 2035. ... Because of baseball's unique salary structure, Bonilla's annual payday is often more than some of the game's current young stars will make in a given year.

The Mets are certainly not alone in handing out deferred payments to star players long after they last suited up for the team, with past MVPs and Cy Young winners among the notable names still collecting annual paychecks from their previous employers.

In recent MLB offseasons, deferred money became an even bigger talking point with the Los Angeles Dodgers frequently opting for the structure, highlighted by a deal with Shohei Ohtani that will delay payments for $680 million of his $700 million megadeal. He'll start receiving $68 million per year in 2034.

Here is what you need to know about Bonilla's payday, deferred money in baseball and the current players making less for the 2026 season than Bobby Bo will receive from the Mets.

So why does Bonilla get this payday?

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