CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs are welcoming Sammy Sosa back to the organization following the slugger’s public apology for past “mistakes.”

Sosa released a statement Thursday, paving the way for the former National League MVP, who has been estranged from the organization since he left the Cubs after the 2004 season. Sosa had been linked to performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) but long denied his involvement.

“I understand why some players in my era don’t always get the recognition that our stats deserve,” Sosa, 56, said in the statement. “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.

“We can’t change the past, but the future is bright. In my heart, I have always been a Cub and I can’t wait to see Cubs fans again.”

Following the apology, Chairman Tom Ricketts announced the team had invited Sosa to next month’s Cubs Convention.

“We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out,” Ricketts said in a statement. “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 are all ready to move forward together.”

Sosa captured national attention in the summer of 1998 as he and the St. Louis Cardinals’ Mark McGwire chased Roger Maris’ single-season home run record. The feat memorably was broken when McGwire hit No. 62 against the Cubs in St. Louis en route to setting the new mark (70). Sosa went on to slug 66 home runs and earned NL MVP honors, the 10th Cub to win the award at the time.

But for as much as Sosa is remembered for his prodigious power in a Cubs uniform and being part of the memorable 1998 and 2003 teams, his career wasn’t without controversy.

In June 2003, Sosa was caught using a corked bat when it cracked during an at-bat. Although he claimed it was a batting-practice bat he accidentally grabbed, he was suspended for seven games. He ended his Cubs career by leaving Wrigley Field during the game on the final day of the 2004 season. His boom box was left behind at his locker and subsequently smashed by a teammate.

Sosa was among the major league players and executives who testified during a hearing in front of the House Committee on Government Reform in 2005 as Congress attempted to pressure MLB to toughen its steroid and PED policy. During the testimony, Sosa denied ever taking illegal PEDs.

After Thursday’s statements, all that now remains in the past for the two sides.

“Cubs fans are the best in the world,” Sosa said in Thursday’s statement, “and I hope that fans, the Cubs and I can all come together again and move forward.”

©2024 Chicago Tribune. Visit chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.