President Donald Trump has just swung a major curveball by pardoning baseball legend Darryl Strawberry for a decades-old tax evasion rap, according to CNBC.
In a move straight out of the White House on Friday, Trump extended clemency to Strawberry, an eight-time MLB All-Star, alongside other notable figures recently spared from past legal woes.
Let’s rewind to 1995, when Strawberry, now 63, admitted guilt to dodging taxes on a hefty chunk of unreported income. He didn’t just walk away—he served his time and squared up with the IRS by paying back what he owed. Funny how the left loves to harp on second chances until it’s someone Trump decides to help.
Strawberry’s career was a grand slam, helping clinch World Series titles for both the New York Mets and Yankees. But off the field, he battled demons, with substance abuse issues derailing his path for years.
By 2000, a failed drug test led to an MLB suspension that pretty much ended his time in the game. It’s a stark reminder that even heroes stumble when progressive policies fail to address root causes like addiction with real solutions.
Yet, here’s where the story pivots—Strawberry didn’t stay down. He turned to faith, embracing Christianity, and has maintained sobriety for over a decade. That’s the kind of comeback conservatives cheer: personal responsibility over endless handouts.
“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 CNBC. Now, isn’t that a refreshing change from the victimhood narrative peddled by the woke crowd?
Not content to just rebuild his own life, Strawberry founded a recovery center to help others claw their way back from addiction. That’s boots-on-the-ground impact, not the empty virtue signaling we see from Hollywood elites.
Back to the tax issue, a White House official noted to CNBC that Strawberry “served time and paid back taxes.” So, he owned his mistake—why the fuss over a pardon for a man who’s clearly reformed?
Strawberry isn’t the only name on Trump’s clemency list lately. Just last month, in October 2025, Trump commuted the sentence of former Rep. George Santos, who had copped to wire fraud and identity theft charges.
Shortly after that, Trump also pardoned Changpeng Zhao, the Binance founder, who served time for lapses in anti-money laundering oversight. Say what you will, but Trump’s pattern of offering second chances cuts against the left’s cancel-culture obsession.
Critics will likely cry foul, claiming Trump’s playing favorites with high-profile pardons. But let’s be real—restoring lives isn’t a partisan game; it’s about recognizing when someone’s paid their dues.
Strawberry’s journey from MLB stardom to personal struggles and now to ministry work is a textbook case of redemption. Conservatives value this: a man who fell hard, got up, and now lifts others with him.
While the progressive agenda often pushes for endless excuses, Trump’s pardon here signals a belief in accountability followed by grace. If Strawberry can turn his life around, maybe it’s time to rethink the left’s addiction to permanent punishment over genuine reform.