The Chicago Cubs and former outfielder Sammy Sosa have finally ended their 20-year feud amid Sosa's apparent confession and apology for taking steroids during his tenure with the team.
Sosa and the Cubs have had a rift dating back to his controversial departure in 2004, despite being the franchise's all-time home run king.
"I left it all on the field for the Cubs and Cubs fans because I wanted to win and make the fans happy," Sosa said in a statement shared by Aurora Global Consulting on Thursday (December 19). "I loved to see the fans at Wrigley [Field] in the Right Field Bleachers every home game. I understand why some players in my era don't always get the recognition that our stats deserve.
"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 accomplished great things as a team, and I worked extremely hard in the batting cage to become a great hitter.
"Cubs' fans are the best in the world, and I hope that fans, the Cubs and I can all come together again and move forward.
"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."
The Cubs also issued a statement regarding the end of their rift with Sosa on Thursday.
"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," said team executive chairman Tom Ricketts. "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 hit a career-best 66 home runs in 1998 during a race with then-St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGwire, who hit 70 home runs, with both surpassing the previous record of 61 hit by Roger Maris in 1961. The 1998 home run which reinvigorated the sport four years after the 1994 strike canceled the end of the regular season and playoffs.
The Dominican native was traded by the Cubs to the Baltimore Orioles after arriving late to a game and then leaving the game early in 2004. Sosa, McGwire and others, were at the center of a Congressional investigation into performance-enhancing drugs in 2005.
Sosa finished his 18-year MLB career with 609 home runs, which ranks ninth all-time, including 545 with the Cubs.