After being mired in a years-long stalemate with the Chicago Cubs since his retirement from MLB in 2007 stemming from his reluctance to apologize for his apparent use of performance-enhancing drugs, Sammy Sosa is returning to the organization that he called home for 13 seasons.
Sosa, who on Thursday released an apology for past "mistakes," was invited to the 2025 Cubs Convention by team owner Tom Ricketts.
Sosa said the following in his statement, obtained by multiple outlets, including Jon Heyman of The New York Post.
"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," Sosa wrote. "I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize."
Sosa, who belted 609 home runs in his 18-year MLB career, enthralled baseball fans during the summer of 1998, when he and Mark McGuire embarked on a historic home run chase, with both sluggers eventually breaking the then-record of 61 home runs in a single season.
But in what became known as the Steroid Era in baseball, both Sosa and McGuire were alleged to have been users of performance-enhancing drugs, and those accusations, as well as his apparent poor behavior towards the end of his tenure in Chicago, alienated him with the franchise.
On multiple occasions, including in 2014, Sosa almost had a homecoming at Wrigley Field. Cubs owner Tom Ricketts remained steadfast that he would not welcome the six-time Silver Slugger back into the friendly confines until he apologized for his transgressions.
Both were true to their words.
Ricketts said the following in a statement.
"We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and reaching out," Ricketts wrote. "No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody's perfect but we never doubted his passion for the game or 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."
There is no official word on whether Sosa plans to attend the convention, but he had this to say at the end of his statement.
"In my heart, I have always been a Cub and I can't wait to see Cubs fans again."
Sosa, the 1998 National League MVP, fell short of receiving the votes needed to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., in his final year of eligibility on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot in 2022.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Sammy Sosa Releases PED Apology, Finally Gets Special Invite From Cubs .
