President Trump Pardons Darryl Strawberry

Former New York Mets star Darryl Strawberry has been officially pardoned by President Donald Trump, wiping away his 1995 federal tax evasion conviction nearly 30 years after it was handed down.

A White House official confirmed the decision on Friday, stating, “President Trump has approved a pardon for Darryl Strawberry, three-time World Series champion and eight-time MLB All-Star. Mr. Strawberry served time and paid back taxes after pleading guilty to one count of tax evasion.”

Strawberry, now 63, was once one of baseball’s brightest stars. The 1983 National League Rookie of the Year hit 335 home runs and drove in exactly 1,000 runs over a 17-year career with the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants. His explosive power, smooth swing, and oversized personality made him a cultural icon during the 1980s.

However, off the field, his career was marred by substance abuse issues, legal troubles, and ultimately a tax fraud case that saw him plead guilty in 1995. He was sentenced to three years of probation, six months of home confinement, and ordered to repay $350,000 in back taxes and penalties.

The White House cited Strawberry’s post-career transformation as a key reason for the pardon:

“Following his career, Mr. Strawberry found faith in Christianity and has been sober for over a decade – he has become active in ministry and started a recovery center which still operates today,” the official said.

Strawberry has spent recent years traveling the country as a minister and motivational speaker, sharing his story of addiction, redemption, and faith. He founded recovery centers and works closely with individuals battling substance abuse—an effort widely praised by communities nationwide.

From teenage phenom to World Series champion, from addiction and prison to ministry and mercy from a U.S. president, Darryl Strawberry’s story remains one of baseball’s most dramatic stories

With the pardon now official, one of the sport’s most gifted and turbulent stars has been publicly granted something he’s spent years quietly earning: a second chance.