Los Angeles Dodgers Accept White House Invitation for World Series Celebration

The Los Angeles Dodgers have decided to accept an invitation to visit the White House in celebration of their 2025 World Series victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. A White House official confirmed to the New York Post that the team has been in communication about arranging a visit, though an exact date for the event has not been determined.

Traditionally, sports teams visit the White House to commemorate their championship victories, but the Dodgers faced calls to skip the event this year due to ongoing tensions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) across the country. Despite these calls, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed his intention to attend the ceremony, stating, “I am going to continue to try to do what tradition says and not try to make political statements because I am not a politician.”

The Dodgers, who have now won two consecutive World Series titles after a thrilling seven-game series with the Blue Jays, have visited the White House in recent years. The team previously celebrated a championship with President Joe Biden in 2021 and met with President Donald Trump in April for their 2024 victory.

The White House is an incredible honor to get to go see, regardless of who’s in office,” Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw said. “We went in 2021. We went this time. I know there’s been a lot of stuff about, should the Dodgers go? All this stuff. But at the end of the day, getting to go to the White House, getting to see the Oval Office, getting to meet the President of the United States, that’s stuff that you can’t lose sight of no matter what you believe.”

While most of the team supports attending the traditional visit, not every Dodgers player plans to participate. Reliever Brusdar Graterol opted to stay home, humorously referring to “my brown house” instead of the iconic presidential residence.

After their victory in Toronto, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), an immigration rights group, launched an online petition urging the Dodgers not to visit the White House the following year if invited. The petition emphasized the importance of standing with the community during times of tension and division.

“The Los Angeles Dodgers have always been more than a baseball team — they’re part of the spirit of who we are as a city. They represent our neighborhoods, families, and diverse communities. By visiting a president who has used his power to harm the most vulnerable, the team would be ignoring the values they embody,” the petition stated.

Previously, the Dodgers were involved in a publicized incident with ICE, where they reportedly turned away agents who sought entry to their stadium. However, ICE claimed this was “false” and stated they “were never there.” U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) later clarified that while CBP vehicles briefly entered the stadium’s parking lot, it was unrelated to the Dodgers.

Looking ahead, the Dodgers are favored to contend for another World Series title in the 2026 MLB season, having strengthened their roster with acquisitions like All-Star closer Edwin Diaz and All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker.