Sammy Sosa Welcomed Back to Wrigley Field After Two Decades
Legendary Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa made an emotional return to Wrigley Field on Friday, his first visit in over 20 years, ahead of the Cubs’ afternoon matchup against the Seattle Mariners.
Set to be inducted into the Cubs’ team Hall of Fame this year, Sosa arrived at the historic North Side stadium in a black SUV. Cubs owner Tom Ricketts greeted him warmly with a hug as he stepped out of the vehicle.
Sosa, who joined the Cubs in a 1992 trade from the Chicago White Sox, quickly became the face of the franchise during his 13-season tenure. A seven-time All-Star, he hit 545 home runs in 1,811 games with the Cubs, including a franchise-best 66 in 1998, the year he was named National League MVP.
Now 56, Sosa last played for the Cubs at Wrigley on October 2, 2004. In that game, he hit a home run and recorded two hits in a narrow 8–6 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Over his career, Sosa was known for his significant physical transformation, becoming a central figure in baseball’s steroid era.
The Cubs traded him to the Baltimore Orioles in February 2005, along with cash considerations, in exchange for three players.
In December, Sosa appeared to address past performance-enhancing drug use by issuing a statement of apology for unspecified mistakes. “At times, I did what I could to recover from injuries so I could stay strong and play a full season,” he wrote. “I never broke the law, but looking back, I made errors in judgment and I’m sorry.”
On Friday morning, Sosa was seen taking photos with rising Cubs talent Pete Crow-Armstrong and sharing a warm moment with Manager Craig Counsell in his office before the game.
Counsell jokingly noted, “He saw the wind blowing out today and said this was the perfect time to visit. He even asked to be in the lineup.”
The Cubs paid tribute to Sosa after the second inning with a video montage on the scoreboard. From a stadium suite, Sosa acknowledged cheering fans by waving and bowing.
During Thursday’s 8–7 loss to the Brewers, Crow-Armstrong hit a home run to become the fastest player in Cubs history to record 20 home runs and over 20 stolen bases—achieving the milestone in just 73 games. Sosa previously held the record with 96 games in 1994.
Counsell, who competed against Sosa during his playing days, praised the former slugger’s impressive power and flair for entertaining crowds.
“Sammy was a real showman,” Counsell said. “The longer you’re around the game, the more you appreciate that aspect. Entertainment matters too, and Sammy excelled at it.”
