Baseball Legend Darryl Strawberry Hospitalized After Heart Attack

Former New York Met star Darryl Strawberry gestures before throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field in New York on July 26, 2022. Adam Hunger/Getty Images

Former New York Mets All-Star outfielder Darryl Strawberry revealed on March 11 that he is recovering at a Missouri hospital after suffering a heart attack.

“Praising God for His amazing grace and loving mercy in saving my life this evening from a heart attack. I am so happy and honored to report that all is well,” Mr. Strawberry wrote in a post on Instagram that included a picture of him in a hospital bed.

Mr. Strawberry said that he was taken to SSM Health St. Joseph West in Lake St. Louis, where medical staff performed a stent procedure that brought his heart to “total restoration.”

“So thankful for the medical team ... for responding so quickly,” Mr. Strawberry said. “Your prayers are so absolutely appreciated as I continue to recover.”

Jay Horwitz, a Mets spokesperson, said Mr. Strawberry was stricken on March 11, a day before the eight-time All-Star celebrated his 62nd birthday.

Mr. Horwitz noted that Mr. Strawberry, who lives in O’Fallon, Missouri, was resting comfortably at St. Joseph West.

“This wasn’t how my friend wanted to spend his 62nd birthday, [in] a hospital bed recovering from a heart attack,” Mr. Horwitz said in a post on X. “But that’s where Darryl Strawberry is now.”

Mets owner Steve Cohen and his wife, Alex Cohen, wished Mr. Strawberry a speedy recovery.

“On behalf of the entire organization, we are sending positive thoughts to Darry Strawberry, his wife Tracy, and his entire family after last night’s heart attack,” the Mets said in a statement on March 12.

“Darryl was in Port St. Lucie (Florida) working with the team as a guest instructor just a few weeks ago,” the team added. “We are looking forward to Straw’s speedy recovery and welcoming him for his number retirement ceremony on June 1.”

The Mets will retire Mr. Strawberry’s No. 18 on June 1, after retiring Dwight Gooden’s No. 16 on April 14. The pair led the team to the 1986 World Series title.

Baseball Career

Mr. Strawberry, who was nicknamed “the Straw Man” or “Straw,” was a seven-time All-Star while with the Mets from 1983 to 1990, winning the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award in 1983. He also was named an All-Star in 1991 when he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He hit .259 with 335 homers, 1,000 RBIs, and 221 stolen bases in 17 seasons that also included time with the Dodgers (1991-1993), San Francisco Giants (1994), and New York Yankees (1995-1999).

He played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) and was also a part of three World Series championship teams with the Yankees.

During much of his career, Mr. Strawberry was affected by drug and alcohol problems, which caused him to get suspended three times. He also received colon cancer treatment that caused him to miss the 1998 World Series.

After retiring in 1999 following a positive cocaine test, he became a commentator for baseball on SportsNet New York and worked as an instructor for the Mats in 2005 and 2008.

In 2010, Mr. Strawberry was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News