San Diego FC player Hirving "Chucky" Lozano publicly apologized Friday after reports he was involved in a locker room altercation, admitting he didn't react the right way.
"I'm a passionate and competitive person who always wants to give everything for the team," the Mexico international posted posted to his Instagram account.
"Sometimes, that same intensity can lead to reactions that don't reflect who I am or the respect I have for everyone around me. I didn't react in the right way, and I've already taken responsibility, addressed it, and moved forward.
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"What matters most to me is continuing to grow -- as a player, as a teammate, and as a person. Every day I'm learning, improving, and doing my best to contribute positively to the team.
"I'm fully focused on what's ahead, on the goals we share, and on helping San Diego achieve everything we've been working for. We've built something special together, and I'm proud to be a part of the club's journey for many years to come."
Lozano, who was signed as the expansion club's first designated player last year, failed to feature in San Diego's final regular-season game against the Portland Timbers on Oct. 18.
Head coach Mikey Varas briefly addressed the situation when asked about the absence of Lozano: "We had a situation we're dealing with internally."
The Athletic reported Thursday that Lozano initiated a verbal altercation inside the San Diego FC locker room earlier this month after being substituted at halftime in the match against the Houston Dynamo.
Asked at a news conference Friday if he could confirm that report, Varas responded: "Like I said, we had a situation that we're handling internally. At the end of the day, Hirving is fully integrated in the team, in the training. He's laughing, he's working hard, he's 100% committed to making his way back into the group and we're 100% committed to supporting him and his way back into the group.
San Diego will make its debut in the MLS playoffs on Sunday night when hosting the Portland Timbers in the first game of the best-of-three round one series.
Varas would not confirm whether Lozano, who has nine goals and 10 assists in his first MLS season, would feature in the game.
"We don't know. We'll make that decision like we do with all players at the end of the week," he said.
"His actions and his interactions are gonna decide that, but he's fully committed and he's showing a great response."
The league's newest club set MLS records for most wins and most points recorded by an expansion team after concluding the regular season in first place of the Western Conference with 63 points.
ESPN's Cesar Hernandez contributed to this report.