Sammy Sosa admits ‘mistakes’ and prepares for Cubs reunion

CHICAGO — Sammy Sosa and the Chicago Cubs reconciled Thursday afternoon, ending their 17-year estrangement after the former slugger apologized for making “mistakes” during his playing career.

Sosa, who has been associated with performance-enhancing drugs for decades, refrained from directly admitting PED use in a statement released Thursday.

But the former National League MVP said that at times throughout his playing career he “did everything I could to recover from injuries, to maintain my strength to be able to play over 162 games,” adding: “I have never broken any laws, except after the fact.” “I have made mistakes and I apologize for them.”

Sosa, 56, hit 609 home runs — the ninth-most in Major League Baseball history — during an 18-year career highlighted by his 13-year stint with the Cubs. Over a four-year period, from 1998 to 2001, he hit at least 60 home runs in three seasons, all in the midst of baseball’s Steroid Era.

Just minutes after the apology was released, the Cubs invited Sosa to their winter fan convention for the first time since his retirement in 2007.

Sosa is among a group of players, including Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, who did not make the Hall of Fame in part because of their ties to the Steroid Era, which lasted from about 1994 to 2004, when more stringent testing began. Sosa testified before Congress in 2005 and denied using PEDS, although a New York Times report later claimed he had tested positive in 2003.

The Cubs’ ownership suggested that Sosa needed an apology before welcoming him back into the organization or even inviting him to an offseason team event.

“We thank Sammy for releasing his statement and for coming forward,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement Thursday. “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. To say Sammy is a fan favorite is an understatement.”

“We plan to invite him to the 2025 Cubs convention and hope he can attend, even if it is at short notice. We are all ready to move forward together.”

Sosa will likely make his first appearance since retiring in 2007. His 545 home runs in a Cubs uniform are the most in franchise history.

“We cannot change the past, but the future is bright,” Sosa said in his statement. “I have always been a Cub at heart and I can’t wait to see Cubs fans again.”