157 years. That’s how far back the custom of World Series victors visiting the White House goes. In 1869, under President Ulysses S. Grant, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first pro team to visit the White House, and fast-forward to 2026, it is now the Dodgers’ turn to meet Donald Trump. While the OG team that bagged the World Series usually visits the White House, it might not be the case if the comment from one LA star is anything to go by.

“Please don’t go to the White House. :(,” a user wrote in the Instagram comment section, and “I’m not,” is what Enrique Hernandez had to say in response, as per @therealdodgerhog.

Back at the Rogers Centre last year, the Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team in 25 years to repeat as World Series champions, and the effort that the team went to beat the Toronto Blue Jays in their own backyard was massive. Dodgers delivered a 5-4 win in the extra innings of Game 7, which is often referred to as the fitting finale in the last ten years.

“This World Series was epic,” Hernandez told SportsNet LA. “It was one of the best ever, and we had one of the best Game 7s of all time. I’m just incredibly proud to be part of this group.”

And any player would be if they made as crucial a play as Hernandez did in the series finale. When the game was tied in the bottom of the ninth, the 34-year-old collided with outfielder Andy Pages while chasing an Ernie Clement fly ball. And while Pages caught the ball, Hernandez tumbled to the ground. With the bases loaded, a base hit from Clement would have ended the game in Toronto’s favor with a walk-off victory. But that didn’t happen, and the rest is history.

Overall, the first baseman had 5 at-bats and 1 hit in the game, and that resulted in him earning his third World Series title with the Dodgers. And with July 23 set as the date for their travel to Capitol Hill, Hernandez has made his decision explicit. On Thursday, the team announced via a statement:

“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.”

While Hernandez skipping is one thing, we have had similar instances in the past as well. After Michael Jordan won his first title with the Chicago Bulls in 1991, he did not attend the team’s visit. The reason he skipped was that he was playing golf. Then there’s Tom Brady, who, after winning the Super Bowl in 2019, chose not to attend the team’s White House celebration along with other teammates.

Moving on, the Dodgers had visited the White House after their World Series titles in 2020 and 2024. In fact, they were the first professional sports team to visit the White House during Joe Biden’s administration.

The club was originally slated to visit the White House in early April this year, but scheduling conflicts made it difficult. They were playing against the Nationals in Washington, and it would have been rather convenient to visit the White House, but since they only had one off-day before their series started against the Toronto Blue Jays, they were required to travel back to L.A.

But now that everything is settled, excitement has taken over.

“President Trump is excited to welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers BACK to the White House to celebrate their World Series championship!” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers wrote in a statement to the California Post.

And if history is anything to go by, one would hope this year’s visit is different from last year’s.

Fans slam Dodgers’ White House visit in 2025

Dodgers’ last visit saw the fans debate about diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. To top it off, the visit was scheduled just eight days before Jackie Robinson Day, an annual celebration honoring Jackie Robinson, who broke MLB’s color barrier as the first Black player in the modern major leagues. In fact, Gabe Lacques said at the time:

“The events of the past month-plus, when MLB scrubbed references to diversity from its careers home page and the Department of Defense deleted references to Robinson’s military service before restoring it under pressure, and Robinson’s Dodgers franchise uncritically visited the president who made all of the above possible, create an unsettling reality that resonates even more on Jackie Robinson Day.”

Although criticism was widespread, the Dodgers’ front office made no public statement. But as the Dodgers’ statement mentioned, this is a tradition, and even Dave Roberts is in for the same.

“I am going to continue to try to do what tradition says,” the manager said.

With that, once the ceremony concludes, the club’s attention will shift back to the remainder of the season and its quest for another World Series title.