Sammy Sosa admits to 'mistakes,' set for reunion with Cubs

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 linked to performance-enhancing drugs for decades, stopped short of directly admitting to PED use in a statement released Thursday.

But the former National League MVP said that at times throughout his playing career he "did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games" and added, "I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize."

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. He hit at least 60 homers in three seasons over a four-year stretch from 1998 to 2001, all of which came in the heart of baseball's steroid era.

Minutes after the apology was released, the Cubs invited Sosa to their winter fan convention for the first time since he retired in 2007.

Sosa is one of a group of players, including Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, who haven't been elected to the Hall of Fame in part because of their ties to the steroid era, which occurred from about 1994 to 2004, when more stringent testing began. Sosa testified in front of Congress in 2005 and denied using PEDs, although the New York Times later reported he had tested positive in 2003.

Sosa, Bonds and McGwire all fell well short of Hall of Fame election in 2022 on their 10th and final appearance on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot.

Sosa received a high of 18.5% support in his final year, less than a quarter of the 75% needed. His next chance for consideration would be if he were put on the ballot for the contemporary player committee, which meets next December.

Cubs ownership hinted at the need for an apology from Sosa before welcoming him back to the organization or even inviting him to an offseason team function.

"We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out," Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement Thursday. "No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody's perfect but we never doubted his passion for the game and 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. We are all ready to move forward together."

Sosa is likely to attend for the first time since he retired in 2007. His 545 home runs in a Cubs uniform is the most in franchise history.

"We can't change the past, but the future is bright," Sosa said in his statement. "In my heart, I've always been a Cub and I can't wait to see Cubs fans again."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.