Donald Trump has pardoned former New York Mets and Yankees slugger Darryl Strawberry, forgiving his past tax evasion and drug-related charges. The pardon, revealed on Friday, November 7, 2025, marks a significant moment for the eight-time All-Star, who has publicly embraced his Christian faith and maintained sobriety for over a decade.
A White House official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that Trump approved the pardon, acknowledging Strawberry's having served time and repaid his back taxes. Strawberry himself expressed his gratitude in an Instagram post, sharing a photo with Trump and thanking him for "finalizing this part of my life, allowing me to be truly free and clean from all of my past". According to TMZ, Strawberry said President Trump personally called him on Thursday afternoon to inform him of the clemency. Strawberry recounted the phone call, stating that Trump spoke warmly about his baseball career in New York City, praising him as one of the greatest players of the '80s and celebrating the Mets.
In 1995, Strawberry pleaded guilty to tax evasion and was sentenced to three years of probation. While he avoided jail time in that instance, he was ordered to pay $350,000 in restitution. Later, in 2002, he faced further legal troubles, violating probation on cocaine possession charges and serving 11 months of a 22-month prison sentence in Florida.
Strawberry, now 63, played 17 seasons in MLB with the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants. He was an eight-time All-Star and won four World Series titles, one with the Mets and three with the Yankees. Over his career, Strawberry amassed 335 home runs, 1,000 RBIs, and 221 stolen bases. The Mets have retired his No. 18 jersey.
Since his retirement from baseball, Strawberry has become involved in ministry and established a recovery center. He has been open about his struggles with addiction and has dedicated himself to helping others on their own paths to sobriety.
Trump's pardon has drawn varied reactions, with some praising the decision as an act of forgiveness and redemption, while others criticize it, pointing to Strawberry's past legal issues. Strawberry addressed the political implications of the pardon stating, "This has nothing to do with politics -- it's about a Man, President Trump, caring deeply for a friend,".
Strawberry is not the only individual to receive a pardon from Trump. Others who have been pardoned during Trump's second term include former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, and former Republican Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and his chief of staff, Cade Cothren.
