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Mookie Betts and Kiké Hernández will not be joining the Dodgers when the team visits the White House on July 23, per staff reporting at Dodger Blue. The Dodgers accepted an invitation from President Donald Trump earlier this year, marking the second consecutive year they’ll make the trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as defending World Series champions. The organization has maintained that the visit follows a long-held tradition of championship teams visiting the sitting president.

Betts is one of the most accomplished players in franchise history and one of the premier talents in baseball. The former MVP has been a cornerstone of the Dodgers’ lineup since arriving from Boston ahead of the 2020 season, bringing elite defense, consistent offense, and a championship pedigree. His decision to skip the visit is notable simply because of his stature within the organization — he’s the face of this team alongside Shohei Ohtani. Betts has never been one to make loud public statements off the field, so the decision itself does the talking.

Hernández, meanwhile, is in his second stint with the Dodgers after spending time with Boston and briefly with other clubs. He’s always been a beloved figure in the clubhouse and among the fanbase — a versatile utility player who showed up big in October during the 2020 championship run. Kiké has carved out a reputation as a glue guy, someone whose personality and energy matter as much as his bat. His absence from the visit, alongside Betts, adds another layer to how individual players are navigating the decision.

We already knew at least one Dodger was planning to skip the trip, but now we have names. Two of them, both prominent figures in this clubhouse. I’m not going to editorialize on the politics of it — players have every right to make that call for themselves, and the Dodgers as an organization have been consistent in framing this as a tradition, not a political endorsement. That’s their line and they’re sticking to it.

What matters from a team perspective is that this doesn’t become a distraction heading into the second half. The Dodgers have real issues to address — the defense has been sloppy, the lineup behind Ohtani has been inconsistent, and the pitching staff is still sorting itself out. A White House visit is a nice ceremony, but it’s a sideshow compared to what this team needs to accomplish between now and October. We move on.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: July 12, 2026 9:19 AM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers