Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani bats against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum. Photo by Conor P. Fitzgerald for Shutterstock.
Updated April 7, 2025, 1 p.m.
The Los Angeles Dodgers visited the White House Monday to celebrate their 2024 World Series triumph.
The baseball tradition stirred controversy among fans who disagree with the Trump administration.
In a social media post last month, the Dodgers confirmed their attendance, stating that “in keeping with long-standing baseball tradition,” President Trump invited them to the White House and the team accepted.
For some players, including shortstop Mookie Betts, the visit was a difficult decision, NPR reported.
“Being Black in America in a situation like this, it’s a tough spot to be in,” he told NPR. Betts attended the celebration and shook hands with Trump.
The Dodgers’ last visit to the White House was in July 2021, following their 2020 World Series win, in a celebration hosted by former President Joe Biden.
My background: I was born in Mexico and raised in Boyle Heights, where I got my start in journalism by launching a community blog. Most recently, I worked at the Los Angeles Times and have spent most of my career covering local news in LA, with a focus on community-centered stories, Latino communities and mentoring emerging writers.
What I do: I lead coverage of Boyle Heights and East LA across all platforms to inform, connect and uplift our community. I spend my days listening, planning, editing and coordinating to make sure our stories reflect the community fairly, while supporting and mentoring my team of reporters and freelancers so they can grow along the way.
Why LA?: It’s home. It’s the sounds of Spanglish and other languages, the smell of tacos and kimchi, the way street art tells stories and how, even though I hate traffic, I love how the freeways can take me to the beach or the mountains on a whim.
The best way to contact me: My email is jessica.perez@boyleheightsbeat.org.
