Sammy Sosa reconciled with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday afternoon, ending their 17-year estrangement after he 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.
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.
Minutes after the apology was released, the Cubs invited Sosa to their winter fan convention for the first time since he retired in 2007.
\"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.\"
