Dodgers returning to White House to carry on championship tradition

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts quipped that he has a “company line” when it comes to trips to the White House.“I hope that we get this invitation every year,” he said Friday.“Because that’s the goal, to win a championship, to get this invitation to the White House.”It took a while this year, but the Dodgers and the White House finally did finalize plans for a team visit this week.

As the California Post first reported, the Dodgers will meet with President Trump to celebrate their 2025 World Series on July 23, zipping down to Washington D.C.during an off-day on their New York/Philadelphia road trip following the All-Star break.This visit is coming later than last year’s, when the Dodgers were recognized at the White House in April for their 2024 championship.However, scheduling conflicts prevented the team from making the visit during its early-season road trip to the Nationals, leaving their July 23 off day as one of the few remaining options over the remainder of the year.“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.”For Roberts, such complexities were worth it, ensuring the team will return to the White House for the third time in the last six years (they also visited with President Biden in 2021 following their 2020 title).“I’m not a politician,” Roberts said, sidestepping the divided public discourse among Dodgers fans in the wake of Thursday’s news.

“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.”The organization also cited tradition in its initial comment on the trip Thursday, releasing a statement that said: “As was the case one year ago, the Dodgers’ upcoming visits to the White House and Capitol Hill follow the longtime ...