Darryl Strawberry is worried about his friend and former 1986 Mets teammate Dwight Gooden after the recovering addict no-showed at a WFAN interview the two were supposed to do together.
“I’m worried. A lot,” said Strawberry, also a recovering addict, at the event Thursday night.
“It’s a real struggle. It’s very difficult to talk about because I know the drill, I know the deal. It’s very sad. It’s hard. ‘Cause even though we weren’t as close, like everybody wanted to make us out to be, he’s a friend. And it’s a very challenging, very difficult time of his life. … And I think a lot of times people just keep thinking it’s all right, and it’s not all right.
“My fear is that — and I know addiction — and my fear is people that don’t change, they die. They die this way. I just hope the light comes on soon before it’s too late.”
Earlier this year, Gooden and Strawberry were the subjects of an ESPN documentary, “Doc & Darryl,” released in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of their World Series title.
Gooden, who won the Cy Young award as a 20-year-old wunderkind before having his career derailed by substance abuse issues, was arrested as recently as 2010 and charged with DWI with a child passenger, leaving the scene of an accident and endangering the welfare of a child.
In 2014, Gooden told The Post: “I never thought I would make it to 50.”
If Strawberry’s fears for his friend are correct, Gooden’s grim forecast may not be far off.