The World Series champions Los Angeles Dodgers will visit the White House on Monday in baseball traditions during their team’s East Coast road trip.
After dropping two of the three games in Philadelphia over the weekend, the Dodgers’ White House visit coincides with a three-game series with Washingtonians. The team will be part of the East Room Ceremony in honor of their 2024 World Series victory.
The ceremony is set at 8am in California.
Watch Live: Coverage will be provided above at 8am
The 9-2 Dodgers confirmed last month that President Trump invited the White House to the team “in line with the long-standing baseball tradition” in a social media post.
The Dodgers last visited the White House in July 2021 as the World Series, when Joe Biden was president.
Manager Dave Roberts called the honor of being able to experience each World Series champion a visit. Roberts said the decision to go to the White House was not a formal conversation involving players and coaches.
Roberts said Friday that he hopes to be 100% at the ceremony and expects “we have full expression.”
Shortstop Mookie Betts told reporters Friday he would join the team during his visit. Betts refused to join the Boston Red Sox on a 2018 visit during President Trump’s first term.
“I’m happy he’s going,” Roberts said. “We’re all happy to go together just to celebrate the 2024 championship.”
Betts, the Dodgers’ only black player to return from last season’s World Series team, told reporters in Philadelphia that his choice was not political, but rather because of his desire to be there for the team.
Betts said he regretted not joining the Red Sox in 2018. Boston managers Alex Cora and pitcher David Price also skipped their visit to the Red Sox. Betts said his absence felt like a distraction from the team’s achievements.
“No matter what I say, what I do, people are going to consider it political,” Betts said. “But that’s definitely not the case. This is about what the Dodgers were able to achieve last year.”
The NHL’s governing Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, became the first team to visit Trump in their second term when they were praised at the East Room ceremony in early February.
The White House also said recently that the NFL Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles accepted the April 28 invitation.
“It’s baseball for us,” Roberts said. “It’s a tradition and we unite it, so I’m excited about it.”
Source link
