NEW YORK (Reuters) – The Chicago Cubs are ready to welcome back Sammy Sosa with open arms, owner Tom Ricketts said on Thursday, as the super slugger whose legacy was marred by doping allegations acknowledged “mistakes” in his career.
Sosa’s 1998 race for the single-season home run record against Mark McGwire earned him household fame but he split bitterly from the Cubs in 2004 and saw his shot at the Hall of Fame evaporate amid allegations of performance-enhancing drug use, which he repeatedly denied.
In a statement widely circulated on social media and attributed to Sosa on Thursday, the seven-times All-Star appeared to offer an olive branch to his former team and own up to past errors.
“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,” the statement read.
“We accomplished great things as a team.”
Reuters was not immediately able to verify the authenticity of the statement, but Cubs owner Ricketts offered a public reply: “We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out.”
“No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody’s perfect but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs,” he added.
“It is an understatement to say that Sammy is a fan favorite.”
Sosa, 56, famously sat out what would have been his final game with the team on the heels of a disappointing 2004 season, leaving Wrigley Field before the final inning.
He had brief stints with the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers, playing his last MLB game in 2007. He retired with 609 home runs, the ninth-most of all time in MLB.
“We plan on inviting him to the 2025 Cubs Convention and, while it is short notice, we hope that he can attend,” said Ricketts. “We are all ready to move forward together.”
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, additional reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Toby Davis)
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