The Los Angeles Dodgers completed their White House visit on Monday in celebration of their 2024 World Series victory.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and others received compliments by President Trump for their efforts last season.
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But the highlight of the day had to be the words Clayton Kershaw delivered in his White House speech as he detailed the success of the 2024 Dodgers. He touched the selflessness and humility each and every one in the organization displayed over the course of the season and hoped they could serve as an “inspiration to many.”
The trip to the White House was a first for many Dodgers players. That included Ohtani, who made his first trip to the postseason count with a World Series victory. But Ohtani is far from satisfied with just one, previously telling president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman he wanted nine more championships during the Dodgers’ celebration in the clubhouse and repeating that sentiment during DodgerFest.
After completing his first visit to the White House, Ohtani is hoping to make good on the wish he told to Friedman, according to Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
“I think I’d like to go as many times as possible,” he said.
Visiting the White House was impactful for Ohtani, as it allowed him to see the highest office in the country he has called home since moving to the United States when he was 22 years old:
“It’s really an honor,” Ohtani added of Monday’s event. “I’ve come from Japan like this to play here, and I appreciate this country every day. I think it was an honor to be able to meet the top person in this country.”
The Dodgers continued their tour of the nation’s capital on Tuesday, with a contingent making a trip to Capitol Hill to meet with Senators from California, Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, among others.
While the Dodgers enjoyed their trip to the White House, this road trip hasn’t gone particularly well for the group. They dropped two out of their three games in Philadelphia and have lost the first two games of the series against the Washington Nationals.
Shohei Ohtani’s bullpen schedule
As Ohtani looks to resume pitching this season, he’s on a set schedule of throwing off a mound every Thursday and Saturday for the time being.
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