The Chicago Cubs on Thursday invited Sammy Sosa to the team’s offseason convention, a sign that the organization has repaired its relationship with the former star slugger.
Sosa, beloved among Cub fans during his 13 years with Chicago, has remained distant from the team since his final season with the club in 2004.
Steroid allegations — a reported positive test in 2003 — soured Sosa’s reputation within the organization, and current owner Tom Ricketts said the Cubs would not welcome back Sosa until he apologized for his alleged wrongdoing.
Sosa did so on Thursday, to an extent.
While he never directly mentioned steroids, the seven-time All-Star apologized for his “mistakes” and hopes he, the Cubs and their fans can “come together again and move forward.”
“I left it all on the field for the Cubs and Cubs fans because I wanted to win and make the fans happy,” Sosa, 56, wrote in a letter to the organization.
“… 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.”
Ricketts responded minutes later, inviting Sosa to the team’s annual convention, which will be held Jan. 17-19 in Chicago.
“We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out. No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody’s perfect but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs,” Ricketts said in a statement.
“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 has not said whether or not he’ll attend the convention, but his letter suggests a reunion is imminent.
“We can’t change the past, but the future is bright,” Sosa wrote. “In my heart, I have always been a Cub and I can’t wait to see Cubs fans again.”
Along with his seven All-Star seasons, Sosa won six National League Silver Slugger awards with Chicago and captured the 1998 NL MVP after battling St. Louis’s Mark McGwire in a record-breaking home run chase that summer.
Sosa’s 545 home runs with the Cubs remain a franchise record. He played two more seasons after leaving Chicago before retiring in 2007 with 609 career homers, currently the ninth-most in major league history.
–Field Level Media