Cubs legend Sammy Sosa releases strange statement admitting 'mistakes'; Chicago team responds with reunion invitation

Former Chicago Cubs fan favorite Sammy Sosa is set to finally reunite with his old team after he released an apology statement on Thursday in which he admitted that he "made mistakes" during his career. Team owner Michael Ricketts has responded with a public statement to invite the former outfielder to return to the club after two decades for the 2025 Cubs Convention next month.

Sammy Sosa played 13 years for the Chicago Cubs and smashed more than 500 home runs for the team. However, the relationship between the two parties began to sour after various controversies emerged surrounding the Dominican slugger. He made a bizarre exit from the team on the final day of the 2004 regular season by leaving Wrigley Field just minutes after the game began.

Allegations of using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) soon followed as Sammy Sosa famously denied using steroids during a congressional hearing in 2005. A report by The New York Times in 2009 stated that Sosa was among the players who had failed a random drug test six years before the report.

Cubs owner Michael Ricketts then clarified that the slugger would not be welcomed by the club until he publicly apologized for his alleged PED use.

Sammy Sosa’s full statement byu/JianClaymore inbaseball

"I understand why some players in my era don't always get the recognition that our stats deserve," Sosa wrote in his apology letter. "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. I never broke any laws, but in hindsight I made mistakes and I apologize."

Almost immediately, the Cubs responded with a public statement from the team chairman.

Chicago Cubs’ Statement on Sammy Sosa byu/PlayaSlayaX inbaseball

"We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out. No one played harder or wanted to win more." Ricketts said. "Nobody's perfect but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs."

He added that the club was inviting Sosa for the team's convention in 2025:

"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."

Interestingly, even though Sosa has admitted to making mistakes during his career in the letter, he does not directly mentioned what the mistakes were or if he ever used PEDs in his heyday.

Sammy Sosa denied entry to the Hall of Fame for PED allegations

Sammy Sosa is the only player to hit 60 home runs in a season on three occasions (Image Source: Imagn)

Sammy Sosa made seven All-Star teams during his time with the Chicago Cubs, hitting 545 home runs for the team and winning the National League MVP in 1998. He later had spells with the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers, allowing him to become the fifth player to reach the 600 career home runs mark.

Yet, Sosa did not get voted into the Hall of Fame due to his PED allegations. He received 12.5% of the votes in his inaugural year and dropped perilously close to the minimum requirement of 5% to stay on the ballot on a few occasions. Sosa only received 18.5% of the votes in his final year for consideration in 2022.