Los Angeles superstar Mookie Betts is expected to skip the team’s trip to the White House later this month, according to a report.
The Dodgers clinched back-to-back World Series titles last November with a seven-game victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
However, the team has yet to make the trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to celebrate their latest triumph – as is customary for all US championship teams.
It emerged late last week that the Dodgers had received an invitation to the nation’s capital from President Donald Trump.
The team confirmed that they will make an appearance at the White House on July 23 during an off day on their road trip to New York City and Philadelphia for games against the Mets and Phillies.
However, Betts will reportedly not be joining his teammates at the White House – but he insisted it was not a politically motivated decision.
Los Angeles superstar Mookie Betts is expected to skip the team’s trip to the White House
The Dodgers have been invited to the White House on July 23 to toast their World Series win
The shortstop explained that he will be spending the day off with his family following the birth of his new child.
‘I’m not trying to make this a whole big deal,’ Betts told The California Post. ‘We just had a baby. You don’t get many days off. They’re coming [on the road trip]. And just want to hang out with the fam. That’s really kind of it. But people are gonna make it a whole bunch of other stuff.’
In 2019, Betts was one of several members of the Boston Red Sox who declined to participate in the celebration during Trump’s first term.
However, he later admitted he regretted that choice as he felt it distracted from the team.
He has attended both of the Dodgers’ recent trips to the White House, first with President Biden in 2021 and with Trump last year.
Meanwhile, Kike Hernandez appeared to suggest that he would be snubbing the visit on social media last week.
A fan commented on the first baseman’s Instagram post begging him to ‘please don’t go to the white house.’
The 34-year-old replied, ‘I’m not,’ according to a screenshot of the now-deleted comment.
Kike Hernandez appeared to confirm that he will snub the team’s invitation to the White House
Hernandez was a member of the Dodgers who did attend the White House visit last year when they celebrated their 2024 World Series victory.
He later opened up on the experience with Cultura Sports, stressing that his attendance was more to do with celebrating with his teammates than the significance of the President’s invitation.
‘We went to the White House that morning,’ Hernández said at the time. ‘They had us sit in a room for about three hours. Then they told us to stand up and get in line. We waited for a couple more hours. And then they took us to the stage. The guy gave his speech, and we left.’
He added that he ‘wasn’t really interested’ in speaking with the President during the visit.
The Dodgers’ latest decision to visit Trump has not gone down well with some and a brutal column by Bill Plaschke in the Los Angeles Times said the trip ‘makes no sense’.
He wrote: ‘The Dodgers do know they play in Los Angeles, right? Then why in the hell do they insist on embracing the person trying to tear this city apart?’
Plaschke cited the series of traumatic ICE raids last summer that Trump inflicted on Los Angeles, where Dodgers fans account for one of the most diverse fan bases in all of MLB.
He continued: ‘It’s not too late. The Dodgers still have time to change their minds and do the right thing. They still have time to acknowledge that this is not about eschewing tradition or succumbing to politics or anything but common human decency.
Trump inflicted a series of traumatic ICE raids on LA last summer, sparking major protests
Trump was presented with his own Dodgers jersey when the team visited him in April last year
‘The president has treated the Dodgers fans with a careless disregard for their basic humanity, and the Dodgers need to let him know this is not OK.’
The Dodgers visited the White House in April 2025 to celebrate winning the World Series in 2024.
Trump welcomed Ohtani, Mookie Betts and their teammates, complimenting ‘the very talented people’ who beat the New York Yankees in five games.
Trump singled out several Dodgers for their achievements, praising Ohtani for becoming baseball’s first 50 home run-50 stolen base player, Japanese pitcher Yoshi Yamamoto and NL Championship Series MVP Tommy Edman.
Trump praised Betts for his play – and took a dig at the Boston Red Sox for trading him to the Dodgers – and they shook hands at the ceremony.
On that day, Dodgers co-owner Mark Walter and pitcher Clayton Kershaw gave brief remarks before Kershaw presented Trump with a Dodgers jersey and No. 47 on the back.
Trump correctly predicted that the Dodgers would go on to repeat as World Series champions.
‘After seeing how successful you’ve begun the season, I can tell you that you can plan on being back here, I hope you can be back here, next year,’ Trump said.
Speaking about this year’s visit, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said on Thursday: ‘President Trump is excited to welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers BACK to the White House to celebrate their World Series championship!’
