Strawberry recovering from heart attack
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Mets legend Darryl Strawberry suffered a heart attack Monday evening that required him to spend his 62nd birthday in a hospital bed -- but he received prompt treatment and was already in recovery the following day.
Strawberry announced news of the episode on Instagram.
“Praising God for His amazing grace and loving mercy in saving my life this evening from a heart attack,” the longtime Mets outfielder wrote. “I am so happy and honored to report that all is well.”
The 62-year-old Strawberry added that he received treatment at St. Joseph West in Lake St. Louis in Missouri, where the medical staff used a stent to restore his heart to regular function.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza opened his daily pregame press conference Tuesday with well wishes for Strawberry, who had spent several days earlier this month serving as a guest instructor in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
“[We’re] praying for him, wishing him a quick recovery and hoping to see him back in a Mets uniform soon,” Mendoza said.
Strawberry, who turned 62 on Tuesday, spent 17 years in the big leagues after the Mets selected him first overall in the 1980 MLB Draft. The first eight of those seasons came with the Mets, including a 1983 Rookie of the Year campaign that saw him hit 26 home runs with an .848 OPS. Strawberry was also an integral part of the Mets’ 1986 World Series championship team and still holds the franchise’s career home run record with 252.
He and teammate Dwight Gooden are scheduled to have their uniform numbers retired at Citi Field in separate ceremonies this summer.
Upon leaving Queens, Strawberry spent the final nine years of his career with the Dodgers, Giants and Yankees as his off-field problems intensified. He is one of three big leaguers, along with Ricky Ledée and José Vizcaíno, to play for all four of those original New York franchises. All told, Strawberry hit 335 home runs, made eight All-Star teams and won three World Series titles across a 17-year career.
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Since retiring, Strawberry has worked as a faith-based public speaker. In recent years, he has spent significant time addressing inmates at maximum-security prisons around the country, including St. Louis.
Mets owner Steve Cohen and his wife, Alex, issued a statement Tuesday morning wishing Strawberry well.
“On behalf of the entire organization we are sending positive thoughts to Darryl Strawberry, his wife Tracy and his entire family after last night’s heart attack,” the Cohens wrote. “We are looking forward to Straw’s speedy recovery and welcoming him for his number retirement ceremony on June 1.”