Mookie Betts chose not to visit the White House during Donald Trump’s first term after winning the 2018 World Series with the Boston Red Sox. However, he has different plans with the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers.
The former MVP announced on Friday that he will be visiting Trump at the White House with his teammates on April 7 to celebrate the Dodgers’ eighth World Series title. Betts expressed that he wants to be there for his teammates and also expressed regret for not attending in 2019.
Interestingly, Betts did not provide a political explanation for his decision to skip the visit after the 2018 World Series, simply stating that he “decided not to.”
Similarly, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts stated in 2019 that he would not visit Trump at the White House if his team were to win the World Series. However, he confirmed last month that he will be attending:
“I respect the position. It’s the highest office in our country certainly, in the world. So I’m looking forward to it.”
Both Betts and Roberts visited former president Joe Biden at the White House in 2021 after winning the 2020 World Series.
The Dodgers’ visit to Trump comes at a politically turbulent time, with the stock market experiencing significant losses due to tariffs imposed by the president. Additionally, there have been controversies surrounding the removal and restoration of an article about Jackie Robinson from the Pentagon’s website, as well as the removal of a Robinson biography from the U.S. Naval Academy’s library.
Betts has actively worked to preserve Robinson’s legacy, including producing the documentary “Jackie Robinson: Get to the Bag” in 2022.
Mookie Betts has three World Series rings with the Dodgers and Red Sox. (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
One Dodgers player who may not make the trip is World Series MVP Freddie Freeman, as he is currently on the 10-day IL due to an ankle injury. The Canadian-American slipped in the shower last weekend and is not expected to join the team on their current road trip, which includes a series against the Philadelphia Phillies before heading to D.C. to visit Trump and the Washington Nationals.
The 8-0 Dodgers are off to their best start in franchise history, with eight consecutive wins to begin the season. Shohei Ohtani’s walk-off homer on Wednesday set a new record for the longest undefeated run by a defending champion, surpassing the 1933 New York Yankees.