Darryl Strawberry Receives Presidential Pardon from Donald Trump

Sat Nov 08 2025 01:55:07 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Former New York Mets star Darryl Strawberry has been granted a presidential pardon by Donald Trump, acknowledging his recovery and contributions to his community after a troubled past.

Darryl Strawberry, an eight-time All-Star with the New York Mets, has received a pardon from President Donald Trump, influenced by Strawberry's personal journey towards faith, sobriety, and activism in recovery. Strawberry, who faced legal issues including tax evasion and substance abuse, expressed profound gratitude for the pardon, viewing it as a means to move forward and continue his mission in his community. The pardon adds to Trump's controversial pattern of granting clemency to various figures in the face of allegations of favoritism.

Former New York Mets baseball player Darryl Strawberry has been pardoned by President Donald Trump, marking a notable moment in his post-career life.

Strawberry, an iconic figure in baseball history as an eight-time All-Star and the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year, faced significant challenges after retiring from the sport. His career included impressive stats such as 335 home runs and over 1,000 RBIs. However, personal difficulties, including struggles with addiction and legal issues, marred his legacy, culminating in a 1995 guilty plea for tax evasion due to failing to report $350,000 in income.

In 1998, he was diagnosed with colon cancer, underwent rigorous treatment, and faced further legal troubles, including a no-contest plea in 1999 related to cocaine possession and solicitation. Altogether, he served 11 months in a Florida state prison before being released in 2003.

The recent pardon is rooted in Strawberry's transformative journey post-baseball, wherein he embraced Christianity and celebrated over a decade of sobriety. A White House official noted that Strawberry's ongoing commitment to his faith and ministry work significantly influenced the decision to grant him clemency.

Strawberry shared his emotional response to the pardon, which he described as liberating, expressing gratitude towards Trump. He posted on Instagram, sharing details of a personal call with the president, where Trump commended his baseball career while offering the pardon. ”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 wrote.

Strawberry highlighted that his experience of receiving the pardon is not politically motivated but rather a personal moment of redemption, stating, “God used him as a vessel to set me free forever.”

Trump's pardoning activity has garnered mixed reactions, particularly among those who view his clemencies as preferential treatment for celebrities and individuals linked to political support. Past pardons by Trump include a variety of controversial figures, amplifying the discourse surrounding executive clemency in the American political landscape.

Strawberry continued to emphasize his dedication to his community, expressing a desire to leverage his experiences to positively impact others struggling with similar issues.