Editor’s note: This post is from 2022, but we’ve updated it after the Shohei Ohtani news.
Happy Bobby Bonilla Day to all who celebrate.
It’s July 1, and that means it’s the annual day on which former MLB outfielder Bobby Bonilla collected just over $1.19 million from the New York Mets, which he’ll do until 2035.
That date has become the time when everyone LOLMETS on Twitter, but here’s the thing: Plenty of other players have gotten deferred money on their contracts and continue to do so. In a funny way, it’s ridiculous to make fun of the Mets for doing something that’s still being practiced (also, it really worked out for the Mets!!).
So let’s go over some current players with Bonilla-like deferred money (all numbers via Spotrac):
1
Max Scherzer
Nope, it’s not coming from the Mets. The Nationals owe him $15 million A YEAR over seven years between 2022 and 2028.
2
Stephen Strasburg
Per Spotrac, he’s earning a total of $80 million deferred from 2027 to 2029 — an annual value of $26.6 million a year from the Nationals.
3
Francisco Lindor
He’ll make $5 million a year fro 2032 through 2041.
4
Jacob deGrom
More Mets money! Per Spotrac: “$52.5M deferred ($12M in 2020, $13.5M in 2021, $15M in 2022, $12M in 2023)”
5
Christian Yelich
Slightly complicated stuff from Spotrac:
- $28M deferred ($4M per year)
- If the Mutual Option is declined, deferred money is paid at $2.5M each from 2031-2042
- If the Mutal Option is exercised, deferred money is paid at $2.3M each from 2031-2041, & $2.7M in 2042
6
Freddie Freeman
From the Los Angeles Times:
Freddie Freeman’s new six-year, $162-million contract with the Dodgers includes $57 million of deferred money, according to details of the contract filed by the Major League Baseball Players Assn.
The deferred payments are without interest, and will be paid out from 2028 until 2040, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
7
Chris Sale
He’s due $10 million a year from the Red Sox — in 2035 to 2039.
8
Alex Cobb
He’s with the Giants, but he’s getting over $5 million a year from the Orioles this year through 2025.
9
Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani deal with Dodgers, per source, includes “unprecedented” deferrals – the majority of his salary. The deferrals were Ohtani’s idea to ease the Dodgers’ luxury-tax and cash flow burdens to give the team the flexibility needs to be as competitive as possible, the source said.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 9, 2023
