Bobby Bonilla Day Won't Last Forever — Here's When He'll Get His Final Check

People are genuinely fascinated by Bobby Bonilla Day, which has landed on July 1 every year since 2011. It’s not just a reminder of Bobby Bonilla’s impressive career — he’s a six-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger winner — but also of the shocking deal he scored after his time with the New York Mets.

In short, Bobby signed a four-year, $23.3 million contract with the Marlins just before the 1997 season, got traded to the Dodgers in 1998, and then ended up with the Mets ahead of 1999.

When the Mets cut him, they still owed him $5.9 million, but instead of paying it upfront, they agreed to defer the payments with 8 percent interest. Starting in 2011, that turned into annual checks of $1,193,248.20 every July 1.

That date has since been dubbed Bobby Bonilla Day, and it’s one that many fans find both amusing and iconic. But the checks won’t keep coming forever. Here’s when Bobby Bonilla Day officially comes to an end.

Bobby Bonilla Day officially ends on July 1, 2035, which means Bonilla will keep cashing in $1,193,248.20 checks from the Mets until he turns 72. By then, he’ll have collected just under $30 million over the span of 25 years.

While deferring the payments might have seemed like a smart move at the time for the team, the Mets will end up paying out about five times what they originally owed, a major come-up for Bonilla. At this point, the deal acts almost like a pension. And if he’s been scaling back his lifestyle, chances are he hasn’t needed to work in years.

When asked about the infamous contract that some people still can’t wrap their heads around, Bonilla told Front Office Sports in a 2025 interview, “It’s a beautiful day,” and that’s because “July 1 is guaranteed income — steady, simple, and secure.”

He admitted he looks forward to when July 1 rolls around, since it gives him the freedom to spend how he wants and “doesn’t have to stress about it.” He enjoys “being able to spend as if [he] was an active player in retirement” and calls it pure “peace of mind.”

Well, aside from collecting over $1 million every year, Bonilla seems to be enjoying life and the financial freedom his legendary contract brings him. He also spends time working with his son, Roman Bonilla, who has a serious passion for golf, and according to Bobby, he’s trying his best to keep up with Roman’s swing.

And if you’re wondering whether Bonilla decided to fully retire, he hasn’t just kicked back and collected his checks. He’s still involved in the baseball world, working as a special assistant for the MLB Players Association and serving as a spokesman for their Players Trust Playmakers Classic with Fanatics, per USA Today.

As for Bobby Bonilla Day, he says that every year he still receives texts and calls, and some friends even stop by to celebrate with him. In fact, it's such a big deal all these years later that Bonilla told Front Office Sports that it’s “almost better than my birthday.”