Former Chicago Cubs star Sammy Sosa leaves door open to mend relationship with the Cubs
CHICAGO, Ill. - Former Chicago Cubs star Sammy Sosa had not set foot in Chicago since 2007.
He was a member of the Texas Rangers organization, playing a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox. The series included Mark Buehrle's no-hitter and ended on Thursday, April 19, 2007.
On Friday, Sosa returned to the city where he starred for 13 years as a Cub.
In a quick interview, Sosa, who deemed himself a mature man in 2024, left the door open to mend the relationship with the Cubs organization.
"Like I said, I’m a mature man," Sosa said. "I think it’s a possibility that we can do that. I’m open. I don’t have a problem with that. I’ve had a lot of misunderstandings in the past. But now I’m a real man. I feel great. I recognize my mistake. So, hey, why not?"
Any relationship between Sosa and the Cubs has been non-existent since the franchise traded Sosa to the Baltimore Orioles for Dave Crouthers, Mike Fontenot and Jerry Hairston in 2004.
Sosa is one of the unquestion best Cubs of all time, hitting 545 home runs in 13 seasons in the Friendly Confines. That number eclipsed Ernie Banks’ 512 as the franchise record. Sosa also won the NL Most Valuable Player in 1998.
Chicago Cubs teammates carry Sammy Sosa off the field after he hit his 61st and 62nd home runs in a victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on September 13, 1998, at Wrigley Field in Chicago. (Phil Velasquez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images / Getty Images)
When Sosa mentioned he made his mistakes, he was asked about recognizing that he took steroids in his MLB career.
Sosa did not answer that question, saying now was not the time to address that subject.
"This is not an interview that I’m really going to sit down with you, for you to come out with that piece right now," Sosa said,
That conversation may come, just as well as any potential reconciliation with the Cubs might come, too.
But for now, Sosa has said he feels like a meeting with the Cubs and Tom Ricketts will happen. If anything, he stressed that his maturity.
"But like I said, I’m a mature man," Sosa said. "I feel great. And let’s see what happens."
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