Sammy Sosa had not been invited back to Wrigley Field, or anything Cubs-related, since he retired in 2007, but all that has changed.

It has long been speculated that Sosa took performance-enhancing drugs during his career, most notably during his home run binge in the late '90s.

Cubs ownership has long said Sosa would need to apologize and all but admit to taking steroids for the relationship to be mended.

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On Wednesday, as the Cubs announced a festival for fans, Sosa admitted he "made mistakes."

"I left it all on the field for the Cubs and Cubs fans because I wanted to win and make the fans happy. I loved to see the fans at Wrigley in the Right Field Bleachers every home game," Sosa said in a letter. "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 letter was enough for Sosa to be invited to the 2025 Cubs Convention, owner Tom Ricketts said in a statement.

"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. "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 is the only player in MLB history to hit at least 60 home runs in three separate seasons. He retired with 609 in his career, which ranks him ninth all time, but PED speculation has kept him out of Cooperstown.

Earlier this year, Sosa walked out of a media session when he was asked about his suspected PED use. He was in Chicago for a memorabilia event, and it was his first time in the Windy City since his career ended.

Sosa is largely credited with bringing baseball back to life with his own personal home run derby with Mark McGwire in 1998 as they both chased, and shattered, Roger Maris' record of 61 homers in a season. McGwire hit 70, and Sosa hit 66. Sosa even swore under oath he did not take PEDs.

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The New York Yankees are executing Plan B quite nicely.

Just a week after losing Juan Soto to their crosstown rivals, they acquired yet another All-Star, Cody Bellinger.

Just days after Soto left for Queens, they inked ace lefty Max Fried to an eight-year deal, and, on Friday, they acquired dominant closer Devin Williams.

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Now, it appears they have added Bellinger, who was named the NL Rookie of the Year in 2017 and the 2019 NL MVP.

It's been an up-and-down career for Bellinger, who was on his way to becoming one of the game's best early in his career. From 2017 to 2019, he hit .278 with a .928 OPS. Since then, he's a .244 hitter with a .731 OPS.

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ESPN first reported the deal. The Yankees later announced it on social media.

His last two seasons with the Chicago Cubs, though, were better. In 2023, he hit .307 with 26 homers, but he took a step back with a .266 average and a .751 OPS in 2024. Analytics suggest Bellinger was lucky in 2023, because he's not nearly the hard hitter he used to be. So, the 2024 season could be seen as the lefty returning to reality.

The Yankees apparently plan on putting Bellinger in center field, although he has spent time at first base. If that's the case, it ensures that Judge goes back to his normal right field position, and they could now look at the first base market that includes Pete Alonso, Christian Walker, Carlos Santana and Paul Goldschmidt.

The Yankees will reportedly pay $45 million of the $50 million owed to Bellinger through 2026. He has a player opt out after the 2025 season. They sent reliever Cody Poteet back to Chicago.

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Baseball Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg announced Tuesday that the prostate cancer he defeated earlier this year has returned.

The Chicago Cubs legend wrote in an Instagram post that the cancer, which he thought had been eliminated by radiation, has spread. 

"Unfortunately, we recently learned the cancer has relapsed, and it has spread to other organs," he wrote Tuesday. "This means that I’m back to more intensive treatment. We will continue to be positive, strong, and fight to beat this. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers for me and my family."

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"Ryne is an inspiration to cancer survivors everywhere," Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said in a statement Tuesday. "I know all Cubs fans join my family and me in sending positive thoughts to Ryne and keeping him and his family in our prayers as he faces this next round of treatments to defeat cancer. Ryne has the heart and soul of a champion and that will serve him well in this challenge."

Sandberg hit .285 with 282 homers, 1,061 RBIs and 344 steals in 16 seasons in the majors. He made his big league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981 and appeared in 13 games with the Phillies before he was traded to the Cubs in January 1982.

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Sandberg turned into one of the majors’ top players with the Cubs. He made 10 MLB All-Star teams and won nine Gold Gloves. He also was the NL MVP in 1984.

He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.

Over the summer, the Cubs immortalized Sandberg with a statue that depicts him crouched and waiting for a grounder. It stands next to bronze tributes to fellow Hall of Famers Ferguson Jenkins, Billy Williams, Ron Santo and Ernie Banks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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