Former MLB All-Star Lenny Dykstra Out of ICU, Resting in Hospital After Stroke

Lenny Dykstra's former teammates on the New York Mets, Darryl Strawberry and Kevin Mitchell, told Mike Puma of the New York Post that the former MLB outfielder suffered a stroke this week and he's out of the ICU and recovering at a Los Angeles hospital.

"He knew it was me, so that is always a good sign," Strawberry said of Dykstra. "He's in the process of recovering."

"He's laying down, but he is being Lenny," Mitchell added. "We get to an age now where we have got to take care of ourselves. I told him he has to take more care of himself. You can't let stress bother you. He's been through a lot. I love him with all my heart."

Dykstra, 61, played 12 MLB seasons for the Mets (1985-89) and Philadelphia Phillies (1989-96), hitting .285 for his career with 81 homers, 404 RBI, 802 runs and 285 stolen bases. He was a three-time All-Star with the Phillies and a champion with the 1986 Mets.

His life after his playing career has been tumultuous, however.

An ESPN profile on Dykstra in 2009 suggested that he was facing multiple lawsuits and other legal action regarding his various business endeavors and alleged unpaid bills.

In 2012 he was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading no contest to grand theft auto charges. That same year he was sentenced to nine months in prison on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and lewd conduct, and later was sentenced to 6.5 months in federal prison after committing bankruptcy fraud.

In 2019, Dykstra pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after an Uber driver accused the former MLB outfielder of threatening to kill him. He had been charged with third-degree terroristic threats and was facing five years of prison time but had his charge reduced to a petty disorderly persons offense as part of a plea deal. He also had drug charges against him dropped in the case.

"I worry about a lot of guys that I have played with, what's happening with them and he's one of those guys," Strawberry told Puma. "He's a special friend and I will never turn my back on him and say negative things about him because his life has had some challenges. We've all had challenges."