WASHINGTON -- With the Dodgers in Washington, D.C., for the next few days, the team will be visiting the White House on Friday, a tradition for teams after winning the World Series.
Because of COVID protocols, the Dodgers’ traveling party inside the White House will be limited to about 50 people. Only players who were part of the Dodgers’ championship team will be in attendance, including injured players such as Corey Seager and Edwin Ríos and Brusdar Graterol, who is with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the trip was “difficult to plan” given the COVID protocols. But President Joe Biden will officially welcome the members of the Dodgers and recognize them for winning the 2020 World Series title.
Roberts said he’s looking forward to meeting President Biden, but is especially excited to meet Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman VP in U.S. history.
“I’d love to meet her,” Roberts said last week. “But it’s an honor, something that any champion gets that opportunity -- or most champions that win world championships get the opportunity, so it’s something that I’ve always dreamt about.”
The last time a Dodgers team made an official visit to the White House was on Oct. 26, 1988, when President Ronald Reagan welcomed the 1988 World Series champions. Los Angeles will also be the first professional sports team to visit the White House since the start of the pandemic.