The White House announced on Friday that President Trump has granted a pardon to Darryl Strawberry, the former professional baseball player who faced a tax evasion conviction in the 1990s.
A White House official stated, “President Trump has approved a pardon for Darryl Strawberry, who is a three-time World Series champion and an eight-time MLB All-Star.” Strawberry had pleaded guilty to a tax evasion charge, served prison time, and settled his tax debts. Over the years, he embraced Christianity and has maintained his sobriety for more than a decade. He’s also actively involved in ministry and manages a recovery center.
Strawberry revealed the pardon through an Instagram post on Friday morning.
He expressed gratitude to President Trump, saying, “Thank you for my full pardon and for freeing me from my past.” His post featured a photo of him with the president.
In a phone call he received the previous afternoon, Strawberry noted that Trump reminisced about his baseball career in New York and referred to him as “the greatest player of the ’80s” before announcing the pardon.
“This isn’t about politics. It’s about a man who genuinely cares for his friends. God worked through him to grant me this freedom,” Strawberry commented further.
During his career, Strawberry was known as one of the most formidable power hitters, achieving three World Series titles and earning eight All-Star selections. He spent 13 out of 17 seasons in his hometown of New York, playing for the Mets and Yankees, along with brief periods with the Dodgers and Giants.
In 1995, he pleaded guilty to tax evasion by not disclosing most of his income on his federal tax returns.
Strawberry faced challenges with addiction during his baseball career and after retirement, but after treatment, he published several recovery books and had his jersey number retired by the Mets in 2024.
Strawberry’s pardon follows other celebrity pardons from President Trump, including former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and former chief of staff Cade Cothren, who also faced corruption-related convictions.
