Sammy Sosa hasn’t been invited to Wrigley Field, or anything Cubs related, since he retired in 2007, but that’s all changed.
It has long been speculated that Sosa used performance-enhancing drugs during his career, particularly during his career home run binge in the late 1990s.
Cubs ownership has long said Sosa should apologize and all but admit to using steroids to repair the relationship.
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Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs during the Cubs’ 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves in game 3 of the 2003 NLDS at Wrigley Field in Chicago. (Dilip Vishwanat/Sports News via Getty Images via Getty Images)
On Wednesday, when the Cubs announced a festival for fans, Sosa relented “made mistakes.”
“I left it all on the field for the Cubs and Cubs fans because I wanted to win and make the fans happy. I loved seeing the fans at Wrigley in the Right Field Bleachers every home game,” Sosa said in a letter. “I understand why some players in my time don’t always get the recognition that our statistics deserve. There were times when I did everything I could to recover from injuries in an attempt to maintain my strength to perform over 162 games .I never broke any laws, but in retrospect I made mistakes and I apologize.
“We have accomplished great things as a team, and I have worked extremely hard in the batting cage to become a great hitter. The Cubs fans are the best in the world, and I hope that fans, the Cubs and I will all reunite can come together and move forward. We can’t change the past, but the future looks bright. I’ve always been a Cub in my heart and I can’t wait to see Cubs fans again.”
Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs strikes out in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field in Chicago. (John Zich/AFP via Getty Images)
The letter was enough to invite Sosa to the 2025 Cubs Convention. owner Tom Ricketts said in a statement.
“We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and reaching out. No one played harder or wanted to win more. No one is perfect, but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs,” Ricketts said. “To say Sammy is a fan favorite is an understatement. We plan to invite him to the 2025 Cubs Convention and, although it is on short notice, we hope he can attend. We are all ready to move forward together.”
Sosa is the only player in MLB history to hit at least 60 home runs in three separate seasons. He retired with 609 in his career, which ranks him ninth all-time, but PED speculation has kept him out of Cooperstown.
Earlier this year, Sosa left a media session when asked about his suspected PED use. He was in Chicago for a memorabilia event, and it was his first time in the Windy City since his career ended.
Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals, right, and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs laugh during a pre-game press conference at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Stephen Jaffee/AFP via Getty Images)
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Sosa is largely credited with bringing baseball back to life with his own personal home run derby with Mark McGwire in 1998 as they both chased and shattered. Roger Marisrecord of 61 home runs in a season. McGwire hit 70, and Sosa hit 66. Sosa even swore under oath that he wouldn’t take PEDs.
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