Los Angeles Dodgers utilityman Kiké Hernández has indicated he will not join his team for their expected visit to the White House to celebrate their 2025 World Series championship.
Hernández's apparent decision came in response to a fan's comment on his social media, asking him not to go. According to a screenshot of the deleted exchange, Hernández replied, “I’m not.”
This marks a potential departure from his participation in the team's previous White House visit following their 2024 title. In an April 2025 interview with Cultura Sports, Hernández described that experience as largely uneventful, characterized by extended periods of waiting.
“We went to the White House that morning,” Hernández stated 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.”
When asked if he had spoken with the president during the 2024 visit, Hernández confirmed he had not and added, “I didn’t talk to him, but I wasn’t really interested in talking to him anyway.” He also noted that each player made his own decision regarding attendance and that his previous choice to go was partly to avoid drawing out the conversation throughout the season.
Hernández is known for his distinctive personality and clubhouse energy, often engaging in memorable moments and openly discussing the less glamorous aspects of professional baseball. Despite an injury-shortened 2026 season, during which he has appeared in only two games while recovering from elbow and oblique injuries, his popularity with the Dodgers fanbase remains significant.
The Dodgers are anticipated to visit the White House later this month. Hernández, however, appears set to opt out of this occasion.