November 13 has produced a few different kinds of White Sox memories - a globe-trotting exhibition, a couple of trades, a notable passing, and one of the more painful roster misfires in recent club history.
The earliest entry goes all the way back to 1913, when the White Sox and New York Giants kicked off their round-the-world tour with the goal of promoting baseball across the globe. The trip would stretch on for more than 40 games, and the teams eventually sailed back from England aboard the Lusitania.
Nearly four decades later, the Sox made a move that worked out in their favor. On Nov.
13, 1951, Chicago sent swingman Randy Gumpert and left fielder Don Lenhardt to Boston in exchange for pitcher Chuck Stobbs and second baseman Mel Hoderlein. Hoderlein never appeared for the White Sox and was later flipped to Washington in May 1952 as part of the Sam Mele deal, but Stobbs became the key piece.
He started 17 games, pitched in 38 total, picked up a save and two complete games, and finished 7-12 with a 3.13 ERA and 2.0 WAR. Gumpert and Lenhardt, by contrast, didn’t do much in the seasons that followed.
On this date in 1992, the White Sox lost Johnny Ostrowski, who died in Chicago at age 75. Ostrowski had become the first player the Sox ever acquired in a trade from the Chicago Cubs when he arrived in 1949.
A 15-year pro, he came to the South Side at age 31 in a midseason deal, was sent to Washington early in the 1950 season, then came back on waivers in September. He never returned to the majors.
A Chicago native and Tilden High School graduate, Ostrowski’s career began, ended and mostly unfolded in his hometown.
The most lopsided item on the date came in 2008, when the White Sox sent Nick Swisher and minor league pitcher Kanekoa Texeira to the New York Yankees for Jeff Marquez, Wilson Benemit and Jhonny Núñez. It was a costly follow-up to the original Swisher trade from Oakland.
In 153 games with Chicago, Swisher went from 4.4 WAR to -0.2, then bounced right back in New York with 11.9 WAR over four seasons. Combined, the two Swisher deals cost the White Sox about 24.3 WAR.
Marquez was especially rough as a return, producing -0.1 WAR and throwing just one inning for Chicago.
Then there’s 2012, when Mark Buehrle’s post-White Sox path took another turn. After leaving Chicago following the 2011 season, he signed with the Miami Marlins, only to be traded to the Toronto Blue Jays as part of a purge that also included manager Ozzie Guillén, closer Robb Nen and shortstop José Reyes.
Buehrle said he was misled by Marlins management after being told there was a full four-year commitment when he signed, and the move also created family strain, with his family relocating to upstate New York while he alone moved to Canada. He went on to finish what should be a Hall of Fame career with Toronto, posting 6.8 WAR over three seasons.
The White Sox later recognized his 12-year run with the club by retiring his jersey in 2017 and unveiling a concourse statue in 2025.
That same day also marked a milestone for Kim Ng, who began her baseball career in 1991 as an intern in the White Sox front office before taking over the Miami Marlins. She became the first woman GM in baseball history and the first in North American sports history. Her tenure ended after a successful 2023 season that finished with a playoff berth, with Marlins ownership looking to diminish her role despite the team’s upward trend.
In Other News...
Chase Meidroth Just Gave The White Sox A New Infield Debate
Chase Meidroths first full run in the majors gave the White Sox something they havent had enough of in recent seasons: a real infield conversation worth having. The second baseman finished as a finalist for the American League Silver Slugger Award at his position, earned a spot on The Sporting News All-Star team and backed it up with a season that put him among the most productive second basemen in the league.
What makes the debate interesting for Chicago is how much Meidroth did beyond the usual box-score impact. He turned in strong postseason numbers in the Wild Card series, set franchise marks for his work leading off games and against left-handed pitching, and led American League second basemen in several offensive categories during the 2026 season. For a club still sorting out its long-term infield picture, that kind of production only sharpens the question of where he fits best going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Kopechs Latest Comeback Revives A Painful White Sox What-If
Michael Kopechs next attempt at a return to the mound is the latest reminder of how much promise once sat on the White Sox side of his career. The former Chicago right-hander has never quite been able to turn elite stuff into a long run as a frontline starter, and injuries have repeatedly interrupted the path, from Tommy John surgery to knee problems and other setbacks that kept him from settling in.
Now, after his time with the Dodgers included a World Series title and more injury frustration followed, Kopech is preparing to throw for teams soon as he tries to get back into the game. The shape of that comeback is part of the intrigue, because the expectation is that he would fit best in a late-inning relief role rather than the starters job White Sox fans once hoped he could own. [Read more 🡒]
Miguel Vargas Just Put A New White Sox Offseason Question In Play
A photo of Miguel Vargas alongside free agent pitcher Freddy Peralta was enough to get White Sox fans talking, and for good reason. Chicagos recent postseason appearance has changed the way the club is viewed around the league, and that matters when a team starts thinking about how to take the next step. Even without any direct link in the rumor mill, Peralta fits the kind of arm that would instantly raise the ceiling of a rotation.
The larger question is whether the White Sox are ready to act like a team that can chase that level of pitching. Analysts have already pointed out that Chicagos improved standing as a free agent destination could open doors this winter, and a pitcher of Peraltas caliber would be the kind of swing that signals real ambition. For now, the photo is only a spark, but it has already put a new offseason possibility on the table. [Read more 🡒]