Darryl Strawberry has a succinct message for anyone making an attempt to dunk on Nick Kyrgios‘ suspension for cocaine: Back off.
The former Mets star, who is now a pastor counseling others through drug restoration, spoke to TMZ about the tennis star’s current suspension.
“I think it’s truly unfair when people punish people, especially athletes, that have substance abuse problems,” Strawberry said. “I had it for a very long time and I received the same kind of treatment from the public. A lot of times we don’t understand what a person is going through emotionally, mentally, inside.”
“Substance abuse is just something to escape from. You can be great as an athlete and have all the talent you want, but at the same time, when you’re broken on the inside, you need to be healed on the inside. And that’s all it is really for him.”
Nick Kyrgios of Australia in motion during his first-round singles match against Moutet of France at the ATP Tour in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. dpa/image alliance via Getty Images
Strawberry was suspended thrice during his 17-year MLB profession for substance abuse, including cocaine, main many to speculate how his profession might have performed out had he stayed clear.
Now an creator of a e-book detailing his restoration and journey as a pastor, Strawberry is talking up to give grace he sometimes didn’t obtain as a participant.
New York Mets legend Darryl Strawberry appears on during a fortieth anniversary 1986 World Series Reunion and Celebration ceremony before a sport against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on Saturday, August 1, 2026, in New York City. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“I’ve been in recovery a long time. I’m a minister of the gospel now,” Strawberry said. “You know, people have written me off. We’re not God and we shouldn’t play that.”
Kyrgios, 31, was provisionally suspended Wednesday after testing optimistic for cocaine. He faces a suspension of up to 4 years relying on whether or not he used during competitors.
Darryl Strawberry at the Harold & Carole Pump Foundation Celebrity Dinner on Thursday, August 20, 2026. John Salangsang/Shutterstock
The Aussie tennis star has been in a profession spiral as accidents have piled up in current years. Once a Wimbledon finalist in 2022, Kyrgios was enjoying in just his eighth event since the begin of 2023 when he was met with the failed check.
Ranked 919th in the world after peaking at No. 13, Kyrgios said his current accidents and efficiency have left him feeling “helpless and alone.”
Australia’s Nick Kyrgios celebrates after his match against Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. REUTERS
“The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally,” Kyrgios wrote in his Instagram story after the suspension. “My body hasn’t been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined.”
Strawberry knows that feeling all too nicely, as his Yankees tenure to finish his profession was plagued by most cancers and other accidents.
“He just needs time,” Strawberry said of what Kyrgios wants proper now. “He just needs people to love him through the process. And that’s what it was for me, having people love me through the process and help me through the process. We all need help. You know, we all fall short.”