Report: AL MVP Betts won’t join Red Sox at White House

American League MVP Mookie Betts won’t be with the Boston Red Sox when they visit the White House as World Series champions.

According to a report Saturday by the Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham, Betts will skip the visit, which is scheduled for May 9.

“I won’t be going there,” Betts said. “I decided not to.”

Betts was in New York City to accept his Most Valuable Player award at the annual Baseball Writers’ Association of America dinner Saturday night.

The Red Sox were scheduled to visit the White House on Feb. 15 but postponed the trip because of the government shutdown. The team will now work the visit into the end of Boston’s road trip to play the Baltimore Orioles from May 6-8.

Last weekend, team president Sam Kennedy explained the club did not feel it was appropriate to attend the White House during a government shutdown.

“You’ve got 800,000 federal workers who are not working right now,” said Kennedy.

“Some working, some not working but not receiving paychecks. It’s hit people hard in the New England area. So just not sure it’s appropriate to be celebrating in such a public way while there’s people who are struggling right now. So that’s been the internal conversation.”

Also skipping the visit is third baseman Rafael Devers, while pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez said it was unlikely that he’d participate. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts and infielder Eduardo Nunez are undecided. World Series MVP Steve Pearce and pitcher Chris Sale said they will join in the visit, and manager Alex Cora said he hoped to use the platform the “right way.”

–Field Level Media