Sammy Sosa spent nearly two decades in the majors, where he rose into prominence as one of the league’s best players. Sosa experienced the bulk of his success during his long stint with the Chicago Cubs thrusting his way into being recognized as a dominant home run hitter during the prime of his career. However, that conversation has shifted over to Sosa’s name being linked to possible steroid use during his playing days that he continues to deny being the case. The former Cubs great has stuck firm to that stance behind one reason why he believes that dialogue shouldn’t be around him.

Sammy Sosa’s MLB career

Following spend his first couple of years in the league with the Chicago White Sox, Sammy Sosa started to hit his stride in the mid-1990s with the Cubs.

Sosa quickly lifted his way into stardom as he earned seven All-Star Game selections, an NL MVP award, six Silver Slugger nominations, led the NL in home runs twice, and headed the NL in RBI twice. Although he thrived, the Cubs reached the playoffs once twice during his 13-year tenure.

He saw his popularity reach great heights in the 1998 season as his home run battle with Mark McGwire saw him fall short to rival in head-to-head totals, but he did secure his only MVP award. The conversation has since shifted over to potential steroid use, which he has repeatedly stayed the course of denying he went that route.

Why Sammy Sosa denies steroid use

Sammy Sosa has seen his MLB career tied to performance-enhancing drugs over the last decade-plus as he named part of the anonymous list of players that were linked to steroids in 2003. He was also one of the 11 players and executives subpoenaed to speak in front of congress in 2005 concerning steroids. 

That goes beyond the corked bat incident in 2003 that further brought questions to his performance on the field. In the years that have followed, he has remained firm that he didn’t take steroids as voiced to Jeremy Schaap of ESPN that he never had a positive test in the United States. (H/T USA TODAY Sports)

I never had a test positive in this country,” Sosa said, although the New York Times reported in 2009 that he did have a positive test during MLB’s anonymous survey testing six years earlier.

“No, I never missed any test at the major league level,” he said in response to a follow-up question.

If Sosa’s 2003 test is to be held up as the truth, it would negate his stance about not testing positive in the United States. Nonetheless, there doesn’t appear to be any change in his position about the issue.

The potential evidence suggests otherwise, but he hasn’t gone the route that McGwire did with his situation. Regardless of what he believes, his reputation is forever tainted.

Sammy Sosa’s reputation forever tied to steroids

Sammy Sosa hasn’t wavered throughout the entire process, but it’s becoming a battle that he already lost in terms of his reputation.

Sosa’s legacy, like McGwire, has become associated with steroid use. It has resulted in him nearing falling completely short of ever getting into the Hall of Fame. There isn’t any indication that he will come entirely clean about the situation, but the further it moves along, the more the stigma will remain.

Since he stepped away from the game, Sosa hasn’t been involved with the sport and still has some lingering issues with the Cubs. Only time will tell where things will head.