Former Major League Baseball star Darryl Strawberry has been granted a full pardon by former President Donald Trump, wiping the slate clean for the New York Mets legend on past legal troubles involving tax evasion and drug-related offenses. The pardon comes as recognition of Strawberry’s transformative journey from a troubled athlete to a man of faith and sobriety, who has dedicated much of his post-baseball life to ministry and recovery work.
Darryl Strawberry is widely remembered as one of baseball’s most talented and dynamic outfielders during the 1980s and 1990s. He burst onto the scene in 1983 with the Mets, earning National League Rookie of the Year honors that same season. Over a 17-year career spanning multiple teams—including the Mets, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants—Strawberry established himself as a formidable power hitter and an eight-time All-Star. He hit a total of 335 home runs, drove in over 1,000 runs, and stole 221 bases, contributing significantly to the Mets’ World Series championship in 1986 and the Yankees’ championships in 1996, 1998, and 1999.
Despite his on-field successes, Strawberry’s life after baseball was marked by a series of personal and legal difficulties. In 1995, he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of tax evasion related to approximately $350,000 of unreported income from autograph signings, personal appearances, and memorabilia sales. As part of the plea agreement, Strawberry agreed to pay back more than $430,000 in taxes and penalties. However, his struggles extended far beyond financial issues.
In 1998, after battling colon cancer and undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, Strawberry faced further legal challenges. He was sentenced to probation and suspended from professional baseball following a no contest plea to charges involving cocaine possession and soliciting a prostitute. Throughout this turbulent period, Strawberry was candid about his struggles with depression and addiction. He violated probation multiple times, including a notable violation on his 40th birthday in 2002. Eventually, his legal troubles culminated in an 11-month prison sentence in Florida, from which he was released in 2003.
The full pardon granted by President Trump acknowledges Strawberry’s efforts to rebuild his life following these setbacks. According to a White House official, the pardon was approved in light of Strawberry’s longstanding sobriety—he has been sober for over a decade—and his active involvement in Christian ministry and recovery programs. The pardon does not erase Strawberry’s criminal record but serves as an official act of forgiveness and recognition of his rehabilitation.
Strawberry shared his reaction to the pardon on social media, posting a photograph of himself alongside Trump and expressing gratitude for the president’s intervention. He recounted the moment he received the surprising phone call from the White House, describing how, while caring for his wife recovering from surgery at home, he was awakened by a call from Washington, D.C. The caller informed him that President Trump wished to speak with him personally. On speakerphone, Trump praised Strawberry’s baseball career and his contributions to the Mets before informing him of the full pardon.
Strawberry described the experience as deeply moving and spiritually significant. He credited God for helping him overcome his past and become a better man, husband, and father. Emphasizing that the pardon was not a political gesture but a personal act of kindness, Strawberry said, “God used [Trump] as a vessel to set me free forever.” He expressed renewed commitment to his faith and his work in ministry, framing the pardon as an important milestone in his ongoing journey of redemption.
President Trump’s constitutional authority to grant pardons is broad and often exercised in cases where there is a belief that clemency serves justice or public welfare. Strawberry’s pardon follows several other recent pardons issued by Trump, including those for political figures and public officials convicted on corruption charges. The list of high-profile pardons under Trump also includes celebrities and allies with various legal issues, from bank fraud to tax evasion.
Darryl Strawberry’s legacy in baseball remains secure. Beyond his statistical achievements, he was a key figure in some of the sport’s most memorable moments, including the Mets’ dramatic 1986 World Series win alongside teammates like Dwight Gooden and Keith Hernandez. His later years have seen moments of both physical and emotional challenge. In March 2024, Strawberry was hospitalized with a heart attack just one day before his 62nd birthday