How Is Bobby Bonilla Getting Paid? The Story Of A Baseball Contract Legend

You’re probably wondering how Bobby Bonilla is still getting paid, and it’s a pretty interesting story.

The Mets and Orioles both made deals with him that involved deferred contracts. This means they paid him a lump sum upfront, but he agreed to take smaller payments over a longer period. The Mets made the first deal with Bonilla in 1999. The Orioles later made a second deal in 2000.

Bonilla receives $500,000 every year from the Mets and the Orioles for 25 years. These payments started in 2004. This was a pretty smart move for him because he was able to earn interest on the money he received upfront, and he’s still getting paid even though he’s long retired!

Bret Saberhagen, another former baseball player, also received a deferred contract from the Mets. He gets $250,000 a year for 25 years. His deal was inspired by Bonilla’s deal and both started in 2004.

These deferred contracts are really just creative ways for teams to manage their budgets and pay players over time. They’re not as common as they used to be, but it’s definitely an interesting part of baseball history!