(AFP) – President Donald Trump paid tribute to the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House on Monday, praising the likes of Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts after what he described as a “legendary” season. Almost all of the star-studded Dodgers lineup, who clinched their eighth World Series crown in October with a 4-1 series defeat of the New York Yankees, were in attendance.
“I want to congratulate you on a legendary season, and I watched it very closely,” Trump said in the East Room. In a recap of the Dodgers’ 2024 campaign, Trump highlighted the achievements of several players, notably Japanese superstar Ohtani, who became the first player in history ever to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.
“Only six players have made 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season but unanimous National League MVP Shohei Ohtani did something even more — became the first ever member of the 50/50 club,” Trump said. “That’s just incredible.” Trump also name-checked Dodgers shortstop Betts, the highest-profile African-American player in Major League Baseball. Betts was present on Monday despite declining to attend a White House reception to mark the Boston Red Sox’s 2018 World Series team during Trump’s first term.
“That guy can play can’t he?” Trump said of Betts. “I don’t want to say but I watched him when he was at Boston. I didn’t think that was a particularly good trade when they made it, and I happened to be right.” Betts said last week he regretted his decision not to attend Boston’s White House reception, and said he wanted to be at Monday’s event to honor his teammates.
“It’s not a political stance that I’m taking,” Betts said on Friday. “I know no matter what I say, what I do, people are going to take it as political, but that’s definitely not what it is. This is about an accomplishment that the Dodgers were able to accomplish last year.”
One notable absentee from Monday’s event was World Series Most Valuable Player Freddie Freeman. Freeman, who was born in California but represents Canada at international level due to his Canadian-born parents, did not make the trip as he recovers from an ankle injury.
Trump, meanwhile, couldn’t resist aiming a political barb at Democratic California senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, refusing to introduce them in his opening remarks. “We have a couple of senators here that I don’t particularly like so I won’t introduce them,” the Republican remarked.
© 2024 AFP
