For the second consecutive year, the Los Angeles Dodgers traveled to Washington to celebrate a World Series championship at the White House, gathering with President Donald Trump in the Rose Garden on Thursday.
“I’m thrilled to say welcome back to the White House,” Trump told the team, before adding, “and maybe I’ll see you again next year.”
Dodgers owner Mark Walter presented the president with a Trump No. 47 Dodgers jersey along with a World Series championship ring. Trump jokingly asked, “Do I have to report this?” as he slipped the ring into his pocket. Walter responded, “It’s got your name on it.”
Not every member of the team made the trip. Outfielder Mookie Betts told reporters his absence had nothing to do with politics — he simply chose to spend the team’s day off with his family. Enrique Hernandez, who has spoken out against Trump’s immigration policies, also did not attend. Injured players Hernandez and Will Smith were likewise absent from the ceremony.
Retired pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who helped the Dodgers defeat the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series before calling it a career, attended in his new capacity as a special assistant to the organization.
Trump took time to highlight several standout moments from the Dodgers’ championship run. Invoking his friendship with the late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, he told the team, “He would do anything to win, but you’re doing the same thing. It’s amazing.”
The president heaped praise on two-way star Shohei Ohtani, saying, “He’s amazing. He’s amazing. Everybody loves him. Last year, Shohei did what was previously unthinkable. Nobody thought it was possible. He collected his third straight unanimous league MVP with a franchise-record 55 home runs. And if you would have told me you can be the best pitcher and the best hitter at the same time, you know, Babe Ruth was pretty close to that.”
Trump also called Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts “a helluva manager.” Roberts addressed the crowd during the ceremony, saying, “We did something that hasn’t been done in … years, going back-to-back (as) World Series champions. And we are going for a three-peat.”
Earlier in the day, Roberts joined players Will Klein and Miguel Rojas as part of a Dodgers group that paid visits to lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
The Dodgers wrapped up a series in Philadelphia on Wednesday and are set to open a series against the New York Mets on Friday. Los Angeles currently holds the best record in Major League Baseball at 65-38 (.631) and leads the National League West division by 11 games.
