Nationwide — Former MLB player Bobby Bonilla, who hasn’t played professional baseball since 2001, still gets a check every year for nearly $1.2 million. The New York Mets have been paying him this annual amount since 2011 and will continue doing so until 2035. The unusual payout every July 1st is now famously known as “Bobby Bonilla Day.”
Bonilla joined the Mets in 1991, signing a five-year, $29 million contract — the highest in team sports at the time. After a few team changes and a World Series win with the Florida Marlins in 1997, he returned to the Mets in 1999. The reunion didn’t last long. Bonilla struggled with injuries and performance, and the Mets released him in 2000. He still had two years left on his contract, worth $5.9 million.
Instead of taking the money right away, Bonilla agreed to a deferred payment plan. The Mets offered to pay him later, with 8 percent interest. That $5.9 million ballooned to nearly $30 million by 2011.
To manage the payout, the Mets set up a 25-year plan. Each July 1, Bonilla receives a check for about $1.2 million. His final payment will arrive in 2035, when he turns 72.
Bonilla earned $47 million during his career. Thanks to the deal, he’s made almost $30 million more — without playing a single game.
A six-time All-Star, Bonilla ended his career with a .279 batting average, 287 home runs, and 1,173 RBIs.
“People say, ‘Oh, that’s Bobby Bo,’” Bonilla told Local 12 News. “Oh my goodness. He is part of one of the greatest contracts in sports. I love what he did.’ And that kind of brings a smile to my face.”