White Sox to retire World Series-winning manager Ozzie Guillén's No. 13: 'I was dreaming about this'
Guillén played 13 seasons as a shortstop in Chicago before guiding the club to the World Series as manager in 2005
The Chicago White Sox will retire the No. 13 of former shortstop and title-winning manager Ozzie Guillén, the club announced on Friday before their home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays. Guillén's number will be retired in a pre-game ceremony on Aug. 8.
Guillén, 62, learned the news after the top of the third, when the team's broadcast cut to him at the CHSN desk at Rate Field. That's when one of Guillén's former players, Scott Podsednik, read the announcement to Guillén and all White Sox fans in attendance. As you're about to see, it was an emotional and unforgettable moment for Guillén:
No. 13 is forever ♾️
— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) April 3, 2026
The White Sox will retire Ozzie Guillen’s number 13 on August 8th!
A South Side legend cemented in history 🏆 pic.twitter.com/kmDYrKK39x
Guillén will become the 13th player and first manager in franchise history to have his number retired. It's an honor that means a lot to Guillén.
"The only thing I can say is thank you," Guillén said through tears. "Why did I want it? Everybody knows who I am, what I do here. But when my kids, my grandkids, walk through this ballpark, they can see grandpa. I was dreaming about this. Holy cow. Finally!"
Guillén was originally signed by the San Diego Padres as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela. However, the White Sox acquired him in December 1984 in a seven-player trade that saw Chicago part with 1983 AL Cy Young winner LaMarr Hoyt. Guillén went on to spend the first 13 seasons of his MLB playing career with the White Sox. A slick-fielding shortstop who had speed on the bases and rarely struck out, Guillén won AL Rookie of the Year honors in 1985 and claimed a Gold Glove in 1990. For the White Sox, Guillén was a three-time All-Star selection.
Guillén's playing career ended in 2000, and in 2004, he was named the 37th manager in franchise history. Guillén guided them to a winning season in his first year, and in 2005, he led the Sox to 95 wins and their first World Series title since 1917.
During that 2005 postseason, the White Sox went 11-1. In all, Guillén managed the South Siders for eight seasons. Over that span, he guided them to a pair of division titles and five winning seasons. Guillén is tied for third with Tony La Russa on the franchise managerial wins list with 678. His .524 win percentage ranks fifth among White Sox managers who were on the job for at least 500 games.
