The Los Angeles Dodgers capped off their 2024 World Series win with a White House visit on Monday. Despite some past trepidation about making the trip, all the biggest names on the team showed up for the ceremony with President Donald Trump.
Trump spoke highly of the team in his opening remarks, calling Dave Roberts “one of the greatest managers ever to wear the Dodger blue.” Trump also said he hopes the team gets another championship invite to the White House next year.
Following those remarks, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw gave a quick speech before presenting Trump with a No. 47 Dodgers jersey. Kershaw — who missed the team’s playoff run due to injury — said he was “in awe” watching the Dodgers surge to the title last season.
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After his speech, Kershaw told Trump the team “had a gift for him” before unveiling the jersey. The two then posed for pictures while holding up the jersey.
After the public ceremony, Trump met with 2024 NL MVP Shohei Ohtani in the Oval Office.
In the weeks leading up to the visit, past comments from manager Dave Roberts, in which he stated that he would skip a White House visit if Trump were in office, again came to the forefront. Mookie Betts skipped the White House visit when the Boston Red Sox won it all in 2018, but he said Friday that he didn’t want his absence to become a storyline and so he would be at the White House in 2025.
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Betts and Roberts both made the trip Monday.
With the 2024 championship now officially in the past, the Dodgers will look to hoist the World Series trophy once again in October. Los Angeles is off to a tremendous start, sitting at 9-2 through their first 11 games.