Bobby Bonilla Day has rolled around once again, but the annual celebration of the former MLB star’s deferred income could become a thing of the past if MLB team owners get their way.
The arrival of July 1 brings with it the annual payment of deferred salary owed to many long-retired MLB players, and some still playing. Among the notable contracts with deferral payments happening today:
Bonilla’s annual payment $1.19 million from the Mets that runs through 2035 and previously gave rise to the unofficial baseball holiday. That structure, first created in 2000, has turned an initial $5.9 million contract obligation into nearly $30 million in deferrals and compounded interest. Today marks the 16th deferral payment the Mets are making to Bonilla.
A separate deferred payment of $500,000 to the 63-year-old Bonilla from the Orioles, the result of a somewhat similarly structured contract. That annual payment will run through 2028.
Pitcher Max Scherzer, now with the Blue Jays, is getting $15 million from the Nationals, a team he last played for in 2021. Washington will make two more such annual deferral payments to the veteran hurdler.
