Trump honors World Series champions at White House
President Donald Trump mostly stuck to sports Monday while honoring the World Series champion Washington Nationals, who had a handful of players skip the White House visit.
Amid an impeachment inquiry on Capitol Hill and Washington feting its first Major League Baseball champion since 1924, Trump hugged Kurt Suzuki after the catcher put on a “Make America Great Again” hat. Trump received a No. 45 Nationals jersey from first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, applauding the team’s first title and calling it a “comeback story for the ages.”
“Everyone with Nats Trump said fell in love baseball,” during the First lady Melania Trump, Washington Nationals infielder Ryan Zimmerman, and President Donald Trump arrive for an event to honor the 2019World Series Champion Washington Nationals on the South Lawn of the White House Monday.
half-hour ceremony on the South Lawn attended by thousands of fans. “That’s all they wanted to talk about — that and impeachment. I like Nats
baseball more.”
Reliever Sean Doolittle, who along with his wife has worked with Syrian refugees and military veterans and supports gay rights, did not attend the event. Also among those not listed as attending were National League MVP finalist Anthony Rendon, outfielders Victor Robles and Michael A. Taylor, and pitchers Joe Ross, Javy Guerra and Wander Suero.
Principal owner Mark Lerner was the only member of the ownership group listed as attending.
Eighteen of the 25 players on Washington’s World Series roster decided to go, including World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg, who opted out of the final four years of his contract but could re-sign for a more lucrative deal. Fans chanted “Four more years! Four more years” at Strasburg.
The Nationals on Monday tendered qualifying offers to Strasburg and Rendon, another free agent.