President Donald Trump has pardoned former Major League Baseball slugger Darryl Strawberry.
Throughout his playing career, the former New York Mets star had numerous run-ins with the law, fueled by drug and alcohol problems, leading to three separate suspensions from MLB.
But after turning his life around, Trump rewarded the eight-time All-Star with the pardon.
“President Trump has approved a pardon for Darryl Strawberry, three-time World Series champion and eight-time MLB All-Star,” the White House said in an email to Fox News Digital. “Mr. Strawberry served time and paid back taxes after pleading guilty to one count of tax evasion. 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 later years of Strawberry’s career were riddled with legal troubles, including an arrest in 1999 as a member of the New York Yankees for soliciting sex from a police officer who was posing as a prostitute. That resulted in a 140-day suspension and 21 months of probation, along with community service.
The following year, he tested positive for cocaine, resulting in a suspension for the entire 2000 season, effectively ending his career. He served 11 months in prison from 2002 to 2003 for violating non-drug rules at a treatment center. Strawberry also admitted to having sex between innings of his games.
After the 1994 season, he was charged with tax evasion. He was suspended to begin the 1995 season for cocaine and admitted to having a substance abuse problem.
The eight-time All-Star met his current wife at a drug recovery convention.
