Dwight Gooden (left) and Darryl Strawberry (right)
There were moments throughout Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden’s lives when they thought an honor like this would never come.
Off-field issues derailed two of the most promising careers in Major League Baseball in the 1980s and the two Mets legends. But after decades of healing and personal work, Strawberry and Gooden will see their numbers retired by the Mets in 2024.
The club officially announced the dates for both retirement ceremonies on Wednesday with both 1986 World Series champions on hand. Gooden’s No. 16 will be retired on Sunday, April 14 before a game against the Kansas City Royals and Strawberry’s No. 18 will be raised to the top of Citi Field before a Saturday, June 1 game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“It means a great deal to me,” Gooden said. “This is the highest honor you can get from a team. The way my journey went… I always considered myself a Met, I always wanted to retire as a Met, and now I get that opportunity.
“This is the greatest honor I can achieve in my baseball career.”
Gooden has long been considered the second-best pitcher in franchise history behind the immortal Tom Seaver, ranking second in franchise history in wins (157) and strikeouts (1,875) and third in innings (2,169.2), complete games (67), starts (303) and quality starts (209).
He burst onto the scene in 1984, winning NL Rookie of the Year while setting an MLB rookie record with 276 strikeouts. He was also the youngest player ever named to an All-Star Game at the age of 19. In 1985, he became the youngest pitcher to win the Cy Young Award while capturing pitching’s “Triple Crown,” as he led the majors with 24 wins, 268 strikeouts, and a 1.53 ERA.
Strawberry is the franchise’s all-time home-run leader with 252 and ranks second with 733 RBI, and 580 walks. A seven-time All-Star, he was the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year by hitting a then-club-rookie-record 26 home runs…
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