Mark McGwire says he 'definitely' could have hit 70 home runs without PEDs: report

Mark McGwire thinks he could have hit 70 home runs even without the use of performance enhancing drugs, according to a new report. (USA Today Sports)

Former professional baseball player Mark McGwire, who famously hit a record 70 homers in the 1998 season, is speaking out.

The longtime Athletics and Cardinals slugger believes he would have reached the mark even without the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), The Athletic reported Monday.

“Absolutely,” he told the online sports outlet. “I just know myself. I just know. I was a born home run hitter. I mean, unfortunately, I did [take PEDs]. And I’ve regretted that. I’ve talked about that. I regretted it. I didn’t need to. That's the thing. Didn’t need to.”

McGwire added, “But I know. Deep down inside, I know me as a hitter. And I know what I did in that box. And I know how strong my mind is. And I know what kind of hitter I became. And yes. Yes. Definitely.”

McGwire confessed to using PEDs in 2010.

“I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989/1990 offseason and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again,” he said in a statement at the time. “I used them on occasion throughout the ‘90s, including during the 1998 season.”

The 54-year-old, whose record was surpassed by Barry Bonds during the 2001 season, currently works as the bench coach for the San Diego Padres.