The Los Angeles Dodgers are scheduled to visit the White House on July 23 to commemorate their 2025 World Series championship. The team will make the trip to Washington D.C. during an off-day on their road trip to New York and Philadelphia.
This marks the second consecutive year the Dodgers will be honored at the White House, having previously visited in 2021 following their 2020 title. Manager Dave Roberts expressed his team's goal is to win championships, leading to such invitations.
"I hope that we get this invitation every year," Roberts said. "Because that’s the goal, to win a championship, to get this invitation to the White House."
The timing of this year's visit comes later than the team's recognition in April for their 2024 championship. Scheduling conflicts prevented an earlier visit this season. "I think there was a lot of unknown," Roberts said. "Then we got word, I mean, yesterday or two days ago that it was official. So then it was kind of [figuring out] how could we work this out logistically? A lot of phone calls, texts and communication internally."
The organization emphasized that visits to the White House by World Series champions are a long-standing tradition. "As was the case one year ago, the Dodgers’ upcoming visits to the White House and Capitol Hill follow the longtime tradition of visits by other World Series champions," the team stated. "We appreciate these tributes in recognition of our back-to-back championships."
Roberts acknowledged that while there may be divided opinions among fans, he views the visit as a continuation of a practice observed by teams for decades. "I’m not a politician," Roberts said. "I’m doing something that teams have done for decades. That’s where I stand, really. I’m a baseball coach. That’s what I do."
While former pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who is no longer with the team, previously stated that visiting the White House is an honor regardless of who is in office, Roberts anticipates that many current players will participate in the upcoming visit. "This is an individual choice," he added. "But I do expect a lot of our guys to be there."
One player, Kiké Hernández, confirmed he will not be able to attend due to a minor-league rehab assignment. However, veteran Miguel Rojas confirmed his attendance, stating, "I’m going to represent the team."