CHICAGO — Friday was a fitting day for Sammy Sosa to make his first trip back to Wrigley Field.

“He saw the wind blowing out today and planned his trip around a good day to be here,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell quipped before Friday’s series opener against the Seattle Mariners. “Asked to be in the lineup because the wind’s blowing out.”

All jokes aside, it was a fitting day for the former Cubs slugger’s triumphant return to the ballpark that he called home while he endeared himself to a generation of fans.

“It’s fun that he’s back,” Counsell said. “For our fans, they spent a lot of time enjoying Sammy’s great performances on the field, entertaining baseball fans. So to have him back is a lot of fun.”

Counsell knows firsthand the aura around Sosa at the peak of his powers. Their careers overlapped, and Counsell was at the Friendly Confines seeing Sosa woo a crowd.

“I very distinctly remember him running out to start the game, No. 1,” Counsell said. “No. 2, just where some of the balls went that he hit can kind of point to places at Wrigley where they went.

“I remember when we took the team picture last year, we went to the top of the center field area and just realizing how far away that is and remembering some balls that he hit up there.”

Sosa arrived at Wrigley Field on Friday morning and briefly interacted with some players, including current Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong.

“I think having him back is very important,” Crow-Armstrong said on 670 The Score’s “Mully and Haugh.” “I think it’s really hard not to appreciate what he did in a Cubs uniform.

“The energy (Sammy) has toward baseball and the enthusiasm he’s got toward all of our processes occurring right now, it’s awesome. He’s super supportive, and I think it’s great that he’s back in a place that he’s had a lot of good years.”

Counsell sees some similarities in the pair — Crow-Armstrong’s breakout 2025 campaign is becoming must-watch TV.

[MORE: Pete Crow-Armstrong makes Cubs history with 20th homer of 2025 season]

“Baseball has got this pace to it that you can miss a little bit and still be all right,” Counsell said. “When Pete’s leading off an inning and when Sammy was leading off an inning, you got to be in your seat.

“Especially with Pete, you got to be in your seat — it’s going to happen early. … They kind of definitely share that in common, for sure.”

Sosa’s return, at the end of the day, is special for the fans. This is a true Cubs icon making a triumphant return, and he should garner a loud ovation.

“I think it’s going to be pretty special,” Cubs outfielder Ian Happ said. “I think just how long he’s been gone from Wrigley, and then what he means to the fan base. You see with what Pete’s doing — a bunch of his numbers popping up — and just how incredible his success was here, it means a lot to those people.”