Trump Welcomes World Series Champion Dodgers to White House as Some Players Decline Attendance
Donald Trump hosted the Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House on Thursday, receiving the team that won consecutive World Series titles. During a Rose Garden ceremony the club presented the president with a custom jersey and a World Series championship ring.
The visit marked the Dodgers’ second trip to the White House in two years following their back-to-back World Series victories. Four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani, star first baseman Freddie Freeman, World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and manager Dave Roberts were among those who attended the event. Several players chose not to join the delegation, most notably shortstop Mookie Betts and utility player Kike Hernández. Many loyal fans reportedly felt conflicted about the team’s decision to attend the presidential ceremony.
At the outset of the Rose Garden gathering the Dodgers presented gifts to the president, including a bespoke team jersey and a championship ring symbolizing their recent title. The exchange took place in the formal outdoor setting of the White House gardens and served as the central moment of the team’s appearance. Photographs from the event captured players and coaching staff alongside White House officials during the presentation.
Among the players who traveled to Washington, D.C., the roster of attendees included notable figures from the championship run. Four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani stood alongside star first baseman Freddie Freeman, while World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and manager Dave Roberts were also present. Their participation underlined the club’s official representation at the presidential event.
Not everyone associated with the Dodgers joined the team on the South Lawn, with several players declining the invitation to attend. The absences of Mookie Betts and Kike Hernández were singled out as the most prominent among those who opted out. Team leadership and those present did not publicly alter the program, which proceeded as scheduled.
The appearance continued a recent pattern for the franchise, returning to the White House after a visit two years earlier following another championship celebration. The ceremony underscored the team’s achievement as back-to-back World Series winners and offered a formal recognition of that success. Reactions among the fanbase remained mixed, reflecting varying views about the trip.
The White House visit concluded with the customary exchanges and photographs, and the Dodgers departed after the short ceremony. The event represented an official acknowledgment of the club’s consecutive titles while also highlighting the differing decisions by individual players about attending.