Mookie Betts skips visit for family time on team’s day off
President Donald Trump welcomed Shohei Ohtani and the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers to the White House on Thursday with a Rose Garden event celebrating their second title in as many years, according to the Associated Press.
The Dodgers edged the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 last October to become the first repeat champions in a quarter century. Trump feted the team in the White House East Room in April 2025 to mark their 2024 World Series championship.
Sports teams visiting Trump at the White House have sometimes been a source of controversy dating to his first term. In 2018, the president rescinded an invitation to the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles after many players suggested they might skip such a trip.
This time, Dodgers star right fielder Mookie Betts did not attend, saying he prefers to spend what is a scheduled day off for the team with his family — even though he did come for the 2025 visit. The team’s manager, Dave Roberts, suggested the trip is more about winning than politics, according to the AP.