Sammy Sosa
Sergey Alexander/Film MagicFormer Chicago Cubs Baseball Sammy Sosa He says he “made mistakes” during his 18-year Major League Baseball career, in a statement that some observers interpreted as an admission of past steroid use.
Sosa, 56, has hit 609 home runs, good for ninth on the all-time MLB list. But despite his dominance, his legacy has been tarnished by accusations that he used steroids, especially during the famous 1998 home run chase in which he and… Mark McGuire of the St. Louis Cardinals both broke what was then the single-season home run record.
McGwire finished the season with a career-high 70 points, while Sosa had 66 points. He retired in 2007, and due to his suspected use of performance-enhancing drugs, was not inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“I understand why some players in my era don't always get the credit our statistics deserve,” Sosa said in a statement on Thursday, December 19.
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He added: “There were times when I did everything I could to recover from injuries in an attempt to maintain my strength to perform more than 162 matches. I never broke any laws. But in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize for them.”
Sammy Sosa
FocusSport/Getty ImagesSosa spent 13 seasons With the cubsone of Most popular franchises In American sports, the team seems ready to welcome him back.
“We appreciate Sammy issuing his statement and reaching out to the Cubs owner.” Tom Ricketts He 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. It goes without saying that Sammy is a fan favorite.
Sammy Sosa
FocusSport/Getty ImagesLike it or not, Sosa has an important place in baseball history. His home run with McGwire is widely credited with helping bring popularity back to Major League Baseball after the 1994 strike led to the cancellation of that year's World Series.
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“We have accomplished great things as a team, and I have worked extremely hard in the batting cage to become a great hitter,” his statement continued. “Cubs fans are the best in the world, and I hope that the fans and the Cubs and I can come together again and move forward. We can't change the past, but the future is bright. In my heart, I've always been a Cub, and I can't wait to see Cubs fans again.”
Sosa's statement comes after nearly 20 years of testimony before Congress in which the true extent of MLB's steroid problem came into focus.
“To be clear, I have never taken any illegal performance-enhancing drugs,” he said at the time. “I never injected myself and no one injected me with anything.”
The Cubs have invited Sosa to appear at the 2025 Cubs Convention from January 17-19, where he is expected to reunite with the team and its fans.
