President Donald Trump and New York Mets legend Darryl Strawberry.

By Chris Spiker From Daily Voice

New York baseball legend Darryl Strawberry has been pardoned, closing what he called a painful chapter in his life.

Strawberry shared the news in an Instagram post on Friday, Nov. 7. The three-time World Series champion pleaded guilty to tax fraud in 1995 and served 11 months in Florida state prison for drug-related offenses.

The 63-year-old slugger posted three photos of himself with Trump, who spoke on the phone with Strawberry on Thursday, Nov. 6.

"President Trump 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. My wife captured the moment on video, and I was overwhelmed with gratitude — thanking God for setting me free from my past, helping me become a better Man, Husband and Father."

The Los Angeles native appeared on Trump's TV show "The Apprentice" in 2010, according to TV Guide. 

"This has nothing to do with politics — it's about a Man, President Trump, caring deeply for a friend," Strawberry also said on Instagram. "God used him as a vessel to set me free forever!"

A White House spokesperson confirmed the pardon to the New York Post.

"Following his career, Mr. Strawberry found faith in Christianity and has been sober for over a decade," the spokesperson told the Post. "He has become active in ministry and started a recovery center, which still operates today."

Trump's pardon doesn't absolve Strawberry's state-level drug charges.

The former outfielder spent 17 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1983 to 1999, hitting 335 home runs and driving in 1,000 runs. He's most well-known for his time on the New York Mets in the 1980s, including his role in winning the 1986 World Series.

Strawberry then went to California for several seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. The eight-time MLB All-Star returned to New York City in 1995, joining the Yankees and winning two World Series in The Bronx.

The Mets retired Strawberry's number 18 at Citi Field on Saturday, June 1, 2024.