New York Mets fans know what July 1 is: it’s Bobby Bonilla Day! For anyone who isn’t aware, the day recognizes the former team member, who is currently 62 years old with a sky-high net worth, as he gets his yearly paycheck of more than $1 million. However, the annual pay day for Bobby has sparked major controversy because of one obvious reason — he isn’t a player anymore. So, what’s in Bobby’s Mets contract that pays him every summer?
Learn all about Bobby, his former MLB career and his contract with the Mets below.
Bobby is a former third baseman and outfield of Major League Baseball. Mostly known for his time playing with the Pittsburgh Pirates, then on and off for the New York Mets, the Bronx native also played for the Chicago White Sox, the Baltimore Orioles, the Florida Marlins, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals.
Happy Bobby Bonilla Day!
Just a reminder: Bobby Bonilla receives a check for $1,193,248.20 from the Mets today, something he’s been cashing in on every July 1 from 2011 through 2035. pic.twitter.com/TX7mG2gHv8
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 1, 2025
Considered one of the MLB’s best betters and overall players from the 1980s and 1990s, Bobby received multiple accolades while playing for the Pirates. But it was his signing with the Mets that got him more attention — and controversy — upon becoming the highest paid player in the league at the time.
Bobby retired by the end of the 2001 baseball season.
Bobby Bonilla Day has become a phenomenon in Mets fandom. While it’s not an official holiday, Bobby Bonilla Day is every July 1 when the former athlete is paid $1.19 million, a pay day that came with the contract he signed with the Mets.
