#652 - Dwight "Doc" Gooden - All-Time Great Pitcher Shares How He Beat His Addictions And Found Sobriety

Dwight “Doc” Gooden sits down with Jimmy to open up about life on and off the mound—rising from teenage phenom to Cy Young & Triple Crown winner, the wild ride of the ’86 Mets, and the redemption arc that followed years of addiction. Doc shares why missing the 1986 World Series parade became a turning point, how therapy (starting in 2019) helped him finally forgive himself, and the daily practices that keep him sober today.

They trade stories from the Yankees–Red Sox 2004 ALCS, debate Gary Sheffield’s Hall of Fame case, and compare Doc’s instant impact to today’s fireballers like Paul Skenes. Doc relives his 1996 Yankees no-hitter—pitched the day before his father’s surgery—and reflects on loyalty to both Mets and Yankees, his love for speaking to young people, and being present for his kids and grandkids. If you love baseball, resilience, and real talk about growth, this one’s special.

00:00 Introduction
02:00 Yankees–Red Sox memories & Gary Sheffield’s legacy
06:00 The ’86 Mets and life in the spotlight
10:30 Addiction, missing the parade, and hitting rock bottom
16:00 Choosing sobriety and healing through therapy
25:00 The rise: Rookie years, Cy Young, and peak dominance
27:00 Throwing a no-hitter for his dad in 1996
33:00 Life after baseball & lessons in redemption
38:00 Outro