On Bobby Bonilla Day, the Nationals pay Toronto Blue Jays' Max Scherzer $15M
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 24: Pitcher Max Scherzer #31 of the Toronto Blue Jays watches from the dugout during the fifth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on June 24, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
WASHINGTON - Every July 1, while Major League Baseball buzzes with excitement over the upcoming All-Star game, one name steals the spotlight without swinging a bat – and that’s Bobby Bonilla.
Bobby Bonilla Day
The 62-year-old former baseball superstar signed a deferred contract with the New York Mets in 2000, agreeing to receive just over $1.19 million every July 1 from 2011 through 2035.
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A deferred contract allows a player to be paid in the future instead of upfront. Bonilla’s contract comes nearly three decades after his last home run hit before he retired in 2001.
Max Scherzer’s Payday in Washington
While Bonilla’s large payday remains a prized day in baseball, current Toronto Blue Jays star pitcher Max Scherzer also gets a hefty paycheck from the Washington Nationals.
Local perspective:
Scherzer signed a deferred contract with the Nationals in 2015 for seven-years, totaling $210 million.
On Tuesday, the Nationals paid Scherzer a deferred amount of $15 million, which he will continue to receive annually from the team through 2028.
The eight-time MLB All-Star is moving into his 18th season, and his contract stands as a reminder that deferred paydays are no longer rare, they’re a part of the financial game plan for today’s most iconic baseball players.