The Los Angeles Dodgers made their second consecutive visit to the White House on Thursday, July 23, to commemorate their back-to-back World Series championships. During the visit, principal owner Mark Walter presented President Donald Trump with a championship ring in addition to the customary jersey presentation.
President Trump acknowledged the team for approximately 25 minutes during an outdoor ceremony held in the Rose Garden. Following the ceremony, Walter, who is also the chief executive officer of Guggenheim Partners, gave Trump the ring. Trump then placed the ring into his coat pocket after Walter presented him with a No. 47 World Series jersey.
Player Absences and Presidential Remarks
While the Dodgers had full attendance from players and staff during their April 2025 visit, several key players were absent from this event. Mookie Betts opted to take the day off to spend time with his family, including a newborn daughter. Betts stated his absence was not politically motivated, despite previous instances where he did not visit the White House with the Boston Red Sox in 2019.
Kiké Hernández, who is recovering from an oblique injury, was also not present. Hernández had previously spoken out against actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Additionally, Will Smith, a World Series Game 7 hero, was absent due to a back injury, prompting President Trump to ask about his whereabouts during the ceremony.
President Trump entered the Rose Garden alongside Dodgers owner Mark Walter and manager Dave Roberts. Several Cabinet members were also in attendance, including Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Cheryl Hines, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin.
Trump thanked Walter, club president Stan Kasten, and manager Dave Roberts, referring to Roberts as a “helluva manager.” He also highlighted that this was the first ceremony held in the newly reconstructed Rose Garden, noting its transformation from a previously wet, grassy area.
Tributes to Key Players
President Trump specifically recognized Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, likening him to Babe Ruth. Trump highlighted Ohtani’s accomplishments, stating that in 150 years of Major League Baseball, no player had earned more than one unanimous league MVP until Ohtani. He noted Ohtani’s third consecutive unanimous league MVP award in the 2025 season, achieved with a franchise record 55 home runs.
Across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Ohtani hit 99 home runs and led the National League with a 1.025 OPS. Although Ohtani did not pitch in 2024 due to elbow surgery, he returned to pitching in 2025, recording a 2.87 ERA and 11.9 strikeouts per nine. Ohtani is currently having another strong season, with a .283 batting average, 22 home runs, 60 RBI, and six stolen bases in 94 games as a hitter. As a pitcher, he holds an 8-2 record with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts, though he recently missed a start due to a knee issue.
Trump also recalled Ohtani’s performance in NLCS Game 4, where he hit three home runs and pitched six shutout innings to eliminate the Milwaukee Brewers. He also mentioned Max Muncy for setting a franchise record with his 12th postseason home run.
The president also spoke about retired player Clayton Kershaw, who recorded one out in his final career appearance during Game 3, and unheralded reliever Will Klein, who pitched four shutout innings in the same game. Trump also acknowledged Freddie Freeman, whose 18th-inning home run won that World Series Game 3, the longest in World Series history. Freeman signed a six-year, $162 million contract with the Dodgers after winning the 2021 World Series with Atlanta.
Before their White House visit, manager Dave Roberts and World Series heroes Miguel Rojas and Will Klein, along with club president Stan Kasten, met with legislators at the Capitol.
Source: foxnews.com