The ongoing salary deferrals for former MLB star Bobby Bonilla (above), kicking in once again Monday, have become something of an unofficial holiday. But the arrival of July 1 brings not only another seven-figure check for Bonilla, but serious money for several other former players—as well as an entirely new context for deferrals thanks to an active superstar.

As has been the case since 2011, Bonilla today will receive a $1.19 million annual payment from the Mets, a continuation of a deferral structure created in 2000, and lasting until ’35. But he’s far from alone. Other prior stars getting paid today include:

• Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. will receive the final $3.59 million from a 16-year, $57.5 million deferral agreement with the Reds. 
• Manny Ramirez will receive $2 million from the Red Sox as part of a 16-year, $32 million deferral pact running through 2026. 
• Chris Davis will receive $9.1 million from the Orioles as part of deferrals contained within his prior $161 million contract. According to Spotrac, Davis has another $40 million due from the team between now and 2037. 
• The 61-year-old Bonilla, meanwhile, has a second deferral agreement with the Orioles, who are paying him $500,000 each year from 2004–28. 
• Bret Saberhagen will receive $250,000 annually from the Mets in his own deal running from 2004–28, with that pact helping inspire Bonilla’s agreements. 

Some of these payments are well in excess of the 2024 salaries of many current MLB stars including the Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson ($756,200), Reds’ Elly De La Cruz ($724,500), and Yankees’ Anthony Volpe ($810,100). Many more deferral payments are forthcoming as notable current players such as the Rangers’ Max Scherzer and the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have deferrals in their current or prior contracts, as such structures provide near-term financial flexibility for teams and longer-term security for players. 

A New Look at Deferrals

All of these contract provisions, however, pale in comparison to the $680 million in total deferrals for Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese phenom agreed to set aside $68 million of his $70 million annual salary to help keep his new team competitive, and he will be paid that money instead between 2034–43.

The unprecedented scale of Ohtani’s deferrals, however, has raised the ire of some California legislators that fear missing out on nearly $100 million in critical tax revenue. Earlier this year, the state senate passed legislation urging the U.S. Congress to establish a “reasonable cap on deferred compensation,” in turn allowing individual states to capture more tax revenue. The measure is now moving to the state assembly for consideration. 

The ongoing Copa América tournament has largely been seen as a test-run for the U.S. ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, both on and off the pitch. 

Eight stadiums are hosting matches for both tournaments and Fox Sports is the broadcaster for each one. Additionally, the chance for the U.S. men’s national team to showcase its development on the biggest global stages and in front of a home audience has had soccer stakeholders over the moon about potential growth for the sport Stateside.

But as the group stage of Copa América concludes, the U.S. men face a do-or-die match against Uruguay on Monday night in Kansas City. Last week’s upset loss to Panama has the tournament’s hosts on the brink of not reaching the eight-team knockout round—a result that would have severe implications away from the field.

Must-See TV

The first two U.S. matches produced Fox’s two most-watched non-World Cup soccer broadcasts ever: 3.189 million against Bolivia and 2.469 million for the Panama game. A trip to the quarterfinals would likely mean more record viewership for a matchup with either South American powerhouse Brazil or Coumbia on Saturday afternoon in Phoenix. Fox has Copa América media rights through 2026, the same year that its World Cup contract runs through.

Beyond TV audiences, this Copa América has already struggled with high ticket prices and stadiums well under capacity for group stage matches. Most notably, fewer than 30,000 fans showed up in Santa Clara to watch Venezuela beat Ecuador, filling up less than half of the stadium that’s normally home to the 49ers.

Weight of the World

While an earlier-than-expected U.S. exit from Copa América would be frustrating for fans, it could be even more upsetting for key soccer officials hoping to lean on the hope of a strong national team heading into the World Cup. 

Leaders at MLS and U.S. Soccer have been particularly bullish on what the FIFA showcase in 2026 can do to accelerate the sport’s growth domestically. Part of the excitement comes from having top international stars playing across the country, but another underperforming U.S. squad would certainly be as much of a damper off the pitch as it would be on it.