Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts won’t attend the 2025 World Series celebrations at the White House on July 23. The Dodgers star showed hesitation last year as well, and this year he has chosen to prioritize his family, knowing that he’ll be criticized either way.
Aside from the shortstop, Dodgers utility man Kike Hernandez has also decided to skip the White House celebrations for personal reasons.
As Betts expected, the wave of criticism has started. Broadcasters on the conservative television station Fox, including Tomi Lahren, discussed the issue, with one taking issue with Betts’ decision.
“He’s only hurting himself, and if he wants to sit home and complain about an injury, well, it’s about what an L.A. Dodger does, I guess,” Lahren’s co-broadcaster added.
The Fox broadcaster took aim at Hernandez’s contributions for the Dodgers:
“Yeah, well, the bottom line is that this guy, not exactly key to the Dodgers winning their World Series. Freddie Freeman was, though.”
Capping off the comments, Lahren had a suggestion for Betts which was more like a criticism:
“Yes, yes. Just go, be a good sportsman, but we always say, ‘Go Mets!’ anyway.”
Lahren’s comments sounded like she is a Mets fan and doesn’t care about the Dodgers.
Mookie Betts Knew Criticism Was Coming Either Way
The Dodgers are scheduled to visit the White House during an off day between two road series against the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. It’s a tradition for the sitting U.S. president to invite the previous year’s World Series winners to the White House for celebration.
Betts shared that the decision has to do with his family rather than any political stance.
“I’m not trying to make this a whole big deal,” Betts said. “We just had a baby. You don’t get many days off. They’re coming (on the road trip). And just want to hang out with the fam. That’s really kind of it. But people are gonna make it a whole bunch of other stuff.”
However, the shortstop is well aware of how people are going to spin it.
“If I do (go), people are gonna hate me. If I don’t, people are gonna hate me,” he said. “So, instead of trying to make everyone else happy, I’m gonna think about myself and my family.”
This is the fourth time Betts has received an invitation from White House. He first denied a trip to D.C. after winning the 2018 World Series with the Boston Red Sox. He went to the White House when the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series, with former U.S. President Joe Biden leading the White House at the time. Last year, he also made the trip to the White House on Donald Trump’s invitation as a matter of showing respect to his teammates.
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