Bobby Bonilla Day: 9 active MLB players from Rafael Devers to Shohei Ohtani who get paid deferred money too
This is my one gripe with the ongoing joke that is Bobby Bonilla Day every year.
Yes, on July 1, the former New York Mets outfielder gets paid over a million dollars NOT to play baseball from the team and will do so through 2035. But it’s also worth noting the Baltimore Orioles pay him deferred money … and there are a BUNCH of big names who will make money from baseball teams that they don’t play for.
Yet we don’t have a Max Scherzer Day! Or a Freddie Freeman Day!
You get the picture. But just to prove my point, here are a bunch of dudes playing right now who will get deferred money, too.
1. Shohei Ohtani
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
He’ll get $680 MILLION DEFERRED!
Shohei Ohtani's $700 million contract calls for him to be paid only $2 million a year for the next 10 seasons, with $680 million deferred until the end of the deal, sources confirm to ESPN.
The CBT hit on the contract is going to be around $46 million, a huge discount for L.A.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 11, 2023
2. Freddie Freeman
Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports
He’ll get a cool $4 million from the Dodgers every year from 2028 to 2040.
3. Rafael Devers
Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
He’ll get paid from 2034 through 2043 from the Boston Red Sox.
4. Mookie Betts
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Hey let’s do LOLDODGERS like we do LOLMETS, right? He’ll earn a ton of money from Los Angeles long after he retires.
5. Francisco Lindor
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
OK, fine, back to the Mets. He’ll get $5 from 2032 through 2041.
6. Edwin Diaz
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Sound the trumpets! He’ll be paid from 2033 through 2042.
7. Nolan Arenado
Zach Dalin-USA TODAY Sports
He agreed to have some of his salary from his Rockies contract deferred when he joined the Cardinals.
8. J.T. Realmuto
Michael Laughlin-USA TODAY Sports
The Phillies catcher will get some money from the franchise in 2026 and 2027.