Donald Trump Pardons Former MLB Star Darryl Strawberry for 1995 Tax Evasion That Sent Him to Prison
- - Donald Trump Pardons Former MLB Star Darryl Strawberry for 1995 Tax Evasion That Sent Him to Prison
Natasha DyeNovember 7, 2025 at 11:09 PM
0
Michael Tullberg/Getty;Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty
Darryl Strawberry; Donald Trump -
President Donald Trump has pardoned former MLB player Darryl Strawberry, who pleaded guilty to tax evasion in 1995
A spokesperson for the White House told NBC that Strawberry, who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, "has been sober for over a decade," leading to his pardon
Strawberry expressed his gratitude in a lengthy Instagram post on Nov. 7 after learning the news one day prior
President Donald Trump has pardoned former baseball player Darryl Strawberry on his 1995 felony tax evasion charge.
According to the and NBC, the White House said they decided to expunge the 63-year-old former MLB player's record because of his commitment to faith and sobriety after his previous drug and alcohol addictions.
“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,” a White House official told NBC on Friday, Nov. 7, adding that Strawberry "served time and paid back taxes after pleading guilty to one count of tax evasion."
Strawberry celebrated the news in a post on Instagram on Friday. In a caption alongside three photos of himself with the president, he 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."
Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Darryl Strawberry on Sept. 9, 2023
Strawberry said he learned the news on Thursday afternoon while he was "home caring for my wife" Tracy "as she recovered from surgery." The former Met shared, "Half asleep, I glanced over and saw a call from Washington DC."
The call was from Trump, who "spoke warmly about my baseball days in NYC, praising me as one of the greatest players of the '80s and celebrating the Mets," Strawberry wrote. "Then, he told me he was granting me a full pardon from my past."
Strawberry said his wife "captured the moment on video" and he felt "overwhelmed with gratitude" afterwards. "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.
The former athlete clarified that his appreciation for Trump's pardon "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," Strawberry added.
Tracy, married to Strawberry since 2006, commented on his post, writing, "You absolutely deserve this honey! There are no words! I am so humbled and grateful to the Lord our God and President Donald Trump for this incredible gift! Love you beyond words baby!🙏♥️🥹🍓🍓."
Strawberry played 17 seasons in the MLB with New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Fransisco Giants and New York Yankees and won three World Series championships before retiring in 1999. He was suspended three times by the MLB for substance abuse, and had a series of legal troubles including his 1995 guilty plea for tax evasion, for which he served 11 months in a Florida jail.
The former MLB star is now a born-again evangelical Christian, and living sober.
on People
Source: “AOL Sports”
