Sammy Sosa is all but admitting to and apologizing for taking steroids.
The longtime big-league slugger put out a statement Wednesday as part of a reconciliation with his former team, the Chicago Cubs.
“There were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games,” the statement read in part. “I never broke any laws but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize.”
For years, there was a rift between Sosa and the club after his controversial 2004 departure after 13 seasons playing right field in Chicago.
But now, it appears the franchise is welcoming Sosa back.
“We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out,” Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts wrote in a statement. “No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody’s perfect but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs.
“It is an understatement to say that Sammy is a fan favorite. We plan on inviting him to the 2025 Cubs Convention and, while it is short notice, we hope that he can attend. We are all ready to move forward together.”
Sosa, who hasn’t been welcomed back to Wrigley Field for the past two decades, sounded excited to return to the Friendly Confines.
“We accomplished great things as a team, and I worked extremely hard in the batting cage to become a great hitter,” Sosa wrote. “Cubs’ fans are the best in the world, and I hope that fans, the Cubs and I can all come together again and move forward. We can’t change the past, but the future is bright. In my heart, I have always been a Cub and I can’t wait to see Cubs fans again.”
Sosa’s time in Chicago was highlighted by his epic home run race with Mark McGwire in 1998.
The Cardinals slugger hit 70 compared to Sosa’s 66 in a race that reinvigorated the sport after the 1994 strike canceled the end of the regular season and playoffs.
In 2004, his final season in Chicago before being traded to the Orioles, Sosa arrived late to a game and then left the game early, bringing his Cubs tenure to a bitter end.
Sosa’s latter years were shrouded in performance-enhancing drug rumors, which he denied in front of Congress in 2005.
In 18 MLB seasons, Sosa hit 609 home runs (ninth-most all time), including 545 with the Cubs, which are the most in franchise history.
