Trump pardons MLB star Darryl Strawberry for tax evasion, drug charges

Former Major League Baseball and New York Mets star Darryl Strawberry has received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump for previous tax evasion and drug-related charges. A White House official confirmed that Trump signed off on the pardon, noting that Strawberry had already completed his sentence and repaid his financial obligations.

Speaking about the move before it was officially revealed, the official emphasized Strawberry’s long-term sobriety, his involvement in ministry, and the creation of a still-functioning recovery center, per ESPN.

On Instagram, Strawberry posted a photo with Trump and wrote, “Thank you, President @realdonaldtrump for my full pardon and for finalizing this part of my life, allowing me to be truly free and clean from all of my past.”

He described being at home taking care of his wife as she recovered from surgery, “when my phone kept ringing relentlessly.”

“Half asleep, I glanced over and saw a call from Washington DC. Curious, I answered, and to my amazement, the lady on the line said, ‘Darryl Strawberry, you have a call from the President of the United States, Donald Trump,’” Strawberry wrote. “I put it on speakerphone with my wife nearby, and President Trump spoke warmly about my baseball days in NYC, praising me as one the greatest player of the '80s and celebrating the Mets. Then, he told me he was granting me a full pardon from my past.”

Strawberry expressed his emotions by saying he was “overwhelmed with gratitude — thanking God for setting me free from my past, helping me become a better Man, Husband and Father.”

“This experience has deepened my faith and commitment to working for His kingdom as a true follower of Jesus Christ,” he wrote, adding, “This has nothing to do with politics - it's about a Man, President Trump, caring deeply for a friend. God used him as a vessel to set me free forever!”

Following his days playing baseball, Strawberry endured a series of legal, personal, and health difficulties. He was accused of tax evasion and pleaded guilty in 1995 to a felony for not reporting $350,000 in earnings from autograph sessions, public appearances, and memorabilia sales. As part of his plea, he agreed to pay over $430,000 in restitution.

Strawberry, an eight-time All-Star outfielder, hit 335 home runs, drove in 1,000 runs, and stole 221 bases over 17 seasons. He spent the bulk of his prime years with the Mets from 1983 through 1990.

From 1983 to 1999, Strawberry played for the Mets, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants. He helped the Mets win the 1986 World Series alongside Dwight Gooden and Keith Hernandez and earned three more championships with the Yankees in 1996, 1998, and 1999.