Back in July 2021, the Dodgers became the first team to be honored at the White House since the COVID-19 pandemic and the first to do so after Joe Biden took office. They then went on to win two more World Series titles in 2024 and 2025. While they visited the White House following their 2024 championship, the same was not the case after their second consecutive title. However, on Thursday, the Dodgers finally announced a date for their White House visit.

President Calvin Coolidge first invited the World Series champions, the Washington Senators, to the White House in 1924. Although championship teams from various sports had visited the White House before, Coolidge’s invitation is widely regarded as the beginning of the modern tradition. And now the Dodgers are set to visit the White House after capturing their eighth World Series title.

They played a three-game series against the Washington Nationals in early April. Since they were already in Washington, it would have been a convenient opportunity to visit the White House. However, their next series was in Toronto against the Blue Jays, so they were unable to meet President Donald Trump at that time, and the visit was postponed.

But they have finally announced that they will make it in the second half.

The Dodgers will play the Philadelphia Phillies from July 20 to 22. Shohei Ohtani and Co. will have an off day on July 23, after which they have another series scheduled with the New York Mets from July 24 to 26. So, the team decided it would be the perfect opportunity to travel to Capitol Hill. 

“President Trump is excited to welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers BACK to the White House to celebrate their World Series championship!” the statement from the White House said. 

However, their last visit attracted some criticism from the fans. There was an ongoing debate regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. And to make matters worse, the visit was just eight days before Jackie Robinson Day. MLB celebrates the event to honor the first colored player in major league history. 

The team practically walked into a PR nightmare, but the Dodgers’ front office didn’t address the backlash and stood by their decision. 

While the baseball community exploded on the internet, refusing to accept “just a formality” as their excuse, the franchise has maintained its stance for this year as well. 

Dodgers will continue to maintain “formality” while they keep chasing the dream feat

“As was the case one year ago, the Dodgers’ upcoming visits to the White House and Capitol Hill follow the longtime tradition of visits by other World Series champions. We appreciate these tributes in recognition of our back-to-back championships,” the franchise made its stance clear.

And several individuals share the same thought. 

Dave Roberts, who recently recorded his 1,000th win as a manager, “I am going to continue to try to do what tradition says.”

Many players consider the tradition a huge feat. Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers’ ace with 3x World Series rings, echoed the same. 

“[Visiting the White House] is an incredible honor to get to go see, regardless of who’s in office,” Kershaw said following their visit in 2025. “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 the ’25-season Dodgers veteran has retired, the current team has continued a dominant performance in 2026 as well. They are 61-33, atop the NL West. Additionally, the team was the first in MLB to secure 60 wins this year. 

They are well en route to a deep October run, but the ultimate goal is to win the ring for a third time in a row.