Former New York Mets and Yankees pitcher Dwight “Doc” Gooden was arrested for cocaine possession and driving under the influence last month, according to the New York Post. The 54-year-old former ace has struggled with drug abuse for decades, dating back to his time with the Mets during the 1980s.
Gooden was arrested on June 7 by Holmdel, New Jersey police before 1 a.m., according to a Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office criminal complaint, the Post reports. Police allegedly found him with “two small green zip-lock style plastic baggies containing suspected cocaine.”
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The 1985 National League Cy Young Award winner was pulled over for driving too slowly on the highway, not staying in the lane and driving with overly tinted windows, prosecutor’s spokesman Christopher Swendeman told the Post.
He was charged with “third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance,” “possession of drug paraphernalia” and driving under the influence. Gooden and his family have not commented on his latest legal troubles.
The right-hander, who was born in Tampa, Florida, won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1984 and won the Cy Young award the following season. In 1986, he helped the Mets win their second and most recent World Series.
Months after winning the World Series, Gooden tested positive for cocaine and went to rehab. Gooden’s career with the Mets ended after the 1994 season. In 1995, he was suspended after he tested positive again.
In 1996, Gooden joined the Yankees and pitched a no-hitter during the season, which ended with the Yankees winning the World Series. Gooden played for the Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays before returning to the Yankees during the 2000 season. He finished his career with a 194-112 record and a 3.51 ERA.
Following his 2001 retirement, Gooden’s struggles with drug abuse continued. In 2006, he was spent eight months in jail for a probation violation when he met his probation officer while high on cocaine.
In 2010, Gooden was arrested after crashing his car while under the influence. His son, Dylan, was in the car at the time.
In 2016, Gooden claimed he was sober after former teammate Darryl Strawberry called him a “complete junkie-addict.” “I don’t do cocaine and have not for years,” he told CBS Sports at the time.
Just last year, Gooden said he wanted a better relationship with the Mets, who already inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2010.
“That would really be great, I would love that,” he told the Post in 2018. “But I understand I have to earn the Mets’ trust back and I’m trying to do that. I totally get that.”
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