| Sammy Sosa | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Sosa in 2012 | |
| Right fielder | |
| Born: November 12, 1968 San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 16, 1989, for the Texas Rangers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 29, 2007, for the Texas Rangers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .273 |
| Hits | 2,408 |
| Home runs | 609 |
| Runs batted in | 1,667 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Samuel Peralta Sosa (born November 12, 1968) is a Dominican-American former professional baseball right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 18 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Cubs. After playing for the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox, Sosa joined the Cubs in 1992 and became regarded as one of the game's best hitters. Sosa hit his 400th home run in his 1,354th game and his 5,273rd at-bat, reaching this milestone quicker than any player in National League history. He is one of nine players in MLB history to hit 600 career home runs.[1]
In 1998, Sosa, along with Mark McGwire, achieved international fame for his home run-hitting prowess in pursuit of Roger Maris' single-season home-run record. With the Cubs, Sosa became a 7-time All-Star while holding numerous team records. He finished his career with stints with the Baltimore Orioles and the Rangers for a second time.[2] With the Rangers, Sosa hit his 600th career home run to become the fifth player in MLB history to reach the milestone.
Sosa is second all-time in home runs among foreign-born MLB players and is one of only three National League players since 1900 to reach 160 RBIs in one season (2001). He is also the only player to have hit 60 or more home runs in a single season three times, which he accomplished in 1998, 1999 and 2001. He did not lead the league in home runs in any of those seasons, although he did lead the league in 2000 with 50 home runs, and in 2002 with 49.
In a 2005 congressional hearing, Sosa—through his attorney—denied having used performance-enhancing drugs during his playing career, following multiple accusations.
- ^ "Sortable Player Stats". Major League Baseball. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
- ^ Sammy Sosa career stats. Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed June 5, 2007.