Sammy Sosa owns up to 'mistakes' during career

Chicago Cubs legend Sammy Sosa admitted to making "mistakes" during his career after years of widespread speculation that he used performance-enhancing drugs.

"I understand why some players in my era don't always get the recognition that our stats deserve," Sosa said Thursday in a 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."

One of the faces of the "Steroids Era," Sosa was the subject of PED allegations and part of a 2005 congressional testimony but has never publicly admitted to using any banned substances, which resulted in a fractured relationship with the Cubs for 20 years.

Cubs owner Tom Ricketts acknowledged that Sosa's apology is an important step in mending the relations between the former player and team.

"We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out," Rickets said in a press release. "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."

Sosa spent 13 seasons with the Cubs from 1992-2004, amassing 545 home runs en route to becoming a seven-time All-Star and the 1998 NL MVP. The 56-year-old played 18 MLB campaigns, and sits in ninth on the all-time homer list with 609.