New York Mets and Yankees legend Darryl Strawberry has a lot to be thankful for these days. What better time to express that thanks than this holiday week?

President Trump earlier this month granted a presidential pardon to Strawberry for his 1995 conviction on tax evasion charges, where he failed to report income and served time while repaying taxes.

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

Strawberry, who played eight seasons with the Mets, winning a World Series title in 1986, and five seasons with the Yankees to close out his career, winning two more championships with them, turned his life around.

And the White House noticed.

“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 statement continued.

Darryl Strawberry says Trump the only one willing to do it

The 63-year-old Strawberry, whose jersey number was retired by the Mets in June 2024, learned of the pardon directly from Trump via a phone call while caring for his wife, who was recovering from surgery.

Now, he’s gone to church to preach about the President giving him a new lease on life.

“God just completely set me free when he gave me a pardon from President Donald J. Trump,” he said, according to Fox News. “Other presidents had opportunities, but they didn’t do it.”

Darryl Strawberry had previously provided a glimpse into his conversation with Trump about the pardon.

“He told me, ‘You know you did some very bad things,’” Strawberry said. “But he said, ’Today, the way your life is and what you’re doing, your faith and helping people and being sober, I’m giving you a full pardon. You’re going to be clean. I’m wiping everything out.’”

In an emotional Instagram post, Strawberry expressed profound gratitude, stating the pardon allows him to feel “truly free and clean from all of my past.”

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Darryl’s many struggles

Darryl Strawberry faced multiple legal issues in the 1990s, including a 1999 arrest for soliciting sex and cocaine possession that led to a suspension from MLB, the aforementioned 1995 conviction for tax evasion (for which he served house arrest).

He was also an admitted sex addict, stating that he used to have sex with women in between innings of games.

His well-documented drug problems, primarily cocaine addiction, derailed his career during his prime years with the Mets and Yankees, resulting in multiple suspensions, rehab stints, and a steep decline from superstar status.

In March 2024, at age 62, Strawberry suffered a massive heart attack and underwent an emergency stent procedure. He later credited his survival to divine intervention.

“This journey has been a testament of His grace and strength working through me,” he recently posted on Instagram.

Strawberry was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2010.