The Yankees announced they’re retiring CC Sabathia’s number 52 later this season, and it’s got fans talking about which numbers deserve that honor.
One that keeps coming up? Number 13.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. wears it now, but there’s a case to be made that it should already be hanging in Monument Park. That’s because Alex Rodriguez made number 13 pretty famous during his time in pinstripes.
A-Rod’s Yankees resume speaks for itself. Two MVP awards, a World Series ring, and 12 seasons in the Bronx. He slugged 351 of his 696 career homers as a Yankee and posted a .900 OPS with the team.
Those are Hall of Fame numbers, even with the messy ending.
A-Rod is my 2nd favorite player ever…. I hold NOTHING against Jazz for wearing #13 (especially after Gallo embarrassed the number)
BUT
no Yankee should ever wear #2 again. Seeing a #2 pinstripes again in the field again is just wrong
— fan of the Yankees (@realboshek) February 26, 2026
The fan above touches on something interesting – Joey Gallo also wore 13 during his brief Yankees stint, and that didn’t exactly work out. Chisholm’s doing the number justice so far, but it raises the question of whether A-Rod’s legacy with that number should be protected.
Here’s the thing though – the Yankees already have 24 retired numbers. At some point, they might run out of digits.
The Full List
These are the jersey numbers the Yankees have retired:
- 1 – Billy Martin
- 2 – Derek Jeter
- 3 – Babe Ruth
- 4 – Lou Gehrig
- 5 – Joe DiMaggio
- 6 – Joe Torre
- 7 – Mickey Mantle
- 8 – Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey
- 9 – Roger Maris
- 10 – Phil Rizzuto
- 15 – Thurman Munson
- 16 – Whitey Ford
- 20 – Jorge Posada
- 21 – Paul O’Neill
- 23 – Don Mattingly
- 32 – Elston Howard
- 37 – Casey Stengel
- 42 – Mariano Rivera
- 44 – Reggie Jackson
- 46 – Andy Pettitte
- 49 – Ron Guidry
- 51 – Bernie Williams
- 52 – CC Sabathia
Rodriguez’s suspension troubles complicate things, sure. But when he was on the field, he was one of the best hitters in Yankees history. The organization’s already honored plenty of players with complicated legacies.
For now, 13 stays in circulation. But don’t be surprised if this conversation keeps coming up, especially if Chisholm has a strong season wearing it.
