Overview
- The Mets delivered the $1,193,248.20 installment to Bobby Bonilla on July 1, 2026, the 16th annual payment in a plan that began in 2011 and continues through 2035.
- The arrangement began in 2000 when the Mets agreed to defer a $5.9 million buyout and added an 8% interest term that spread equal payments over 25 years.
- Team ownership at the time expected investment returns from accounts tied to financier Bernie Madoff to cover the cost but Madoff’s 2009 Ponzi collapse removed that funding and left the club responsible for the larger long-term outlay.
- Bonilla has now collected roughly $19.09 million from the Mets under the deferral and will receive the same seven-figure check each July 1 until the final payment in 2035 when he will be 72 years old.
- The story highlights a wider MLB practice of using deferred pay to manage payroll and taxes and has become a recurring cultural moment known as Bobby Bonilla Day, referenced by owners and fans and often cited alongside modern deferred deals such as those for Shohei Ohtani and Max Scherzer.