Bobby Bonilla's Career Earnings, Future Mets Contract Payments After 13th Installment

Don't let the start of NBA free agency distract you from one of the biggest days on the sports calendar.

On Saturday, Bobby Bonilla collected his annual paycheck from the New York Mets. The good news for the Mets is that they've finally crossed the halfway mark in his payment plan.

Per Baseball Reference, Bonilla's MLB contracts totaled $52.4 million over 16 seasons. When all is said and done, more than half that total will come from deferrals.

Agreeing to pay a player deferred money isn't uncommon in MLB. Ken Griffey Jr. last suited up for the Cincinnati Reds in 2008, but he's still getting paid $3.6 million from the team in 2023.

But Bonilla has become the gold standard.

ESPN.com's Dan Mullen explained how the Mets bought out the six-time All-Star of his contract in 2000. Rather than giving him the $5.9 million he was owed all at once, the team agreed to a 25-year payout plan.

Bobby Bonilla Day has taken on a life of its own since then, and fans can look forward to the occasion for the next decade and change.