Darryl Strawberry Breaks Down After President Trump Gives Full Pardon

November 08, 2025

Darryl Strawberry receives full presidential pardon from Donald Trump, wiping clean decades-old tax evasion and drug convictions from his record.

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Baseball legend Darryl Strawberry received the phone call that changed everything while caring for his recovering wife at home late last week.

The former New York Mets superstar and eight-time All-Star secured a complete presidential pardon from Donald Trump, erasing his 1995 tax evasion conviction and drug-related charges that haunted his post-baseball career.

The clemency decision eliminates the legal cloud that followed the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year for three decades.

Trump personally contacted the baseball legend to deliver the news, praising his transformation from troubled athlete to devoted Christian minister. The pardon covers Strawberry’s guilty plea to federal tax fraud charges stemming from unreported income of $350,000 from memorabilia sales, autograph signings and personal appearances.

Strawberry documented the life-changing moment on Instagram, revealing how the unexpected call unfolded.

“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,'” he wrote.

The conversation continued with Trump celebrating Strawberry’s baseball achievements before delivering the pardon announcement.

“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 shared.

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The former outfielder’s legal troubles began in the mid-1990s when federal prosecutors charged him with tax evasion. He eventually paid over $430,000 in back taxes and penalties as part of his plea agreement.

Additional criminal charges followed in 1999 when he pleaded no contest to cocaine possession and soliciting prostitution, leading to probation violations and an 11-month prison sentence in Florida.

Strawberry’s post-baseball journey included battles with colon cancer, requiring surgery and chemotherapy in 1998. His repeated probation violations culminated in his 40th birthday arrest in 2002, before his eventual release from state prison in 2003.

The pardon recognizes Strawberry’s remarkable personal transformation over the past decade. White House officials cited his embrace of Christianity, sustained sobriety and active ministry work as factors in Trump’s decision.

Strawberry operates a recovery center and has maintained his commitment to helping others overcome addiction.

“This experience has deepened my faith and commitment to working for His kingdom as a true follower of Jesus Christ,” Strawberry wrote, emphasizing the spiritual significance of his pardon. “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!”

The baseball star’s professional career spanned 17 seasons from 1983 to 1999, including championship runs with the 1986 Mets and three World Series titles with the Yankees in 1996, 1998 and 1999.

He accumulated 335 home runs, 1,000 RBIs and 221 stolen bases while playing for the Mets, Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.

Strawberry’s relationship with New York fans reached an emotional peak in 2024 when the Mets retired his number 18 jersey.

The pardon adds Strawberry to Trump’s growing list of celebrity clemency recipients, which already includes rappers Kodak Black, Lil Wayne, and NBA Youngboy.

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