The Los Angeles Dodgers spent the off day before their series opener against the New York Mets meeting President Donald Trump. As the president hosted the Dodgers in the Rose Garden to celebrate their second consecutive World Series title, he had high praise for Shohei Ohtani and the team. And it was while congratulating Ohtani on his MVP award that Trump compared him to the legendary Babe Ruth before issuing a challenge to the Dodgers superstar.

“They drafted him (Babe Ruth) as a pitcher, but he did something very unusual. He led the league in home runs as a pitcher,” Trump observed, per Trump War Room on X. “That one you have to do.”

On Thursday, the President of the United States compared the Japanese generational talent to the legendary Babe Ruth. The Yankees legend possessed exceptional hitting and pitching abilities, making him one of the greatest players in baseball history.

Babe Ruth came into the majors as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, but in December 1919, the club traded him to the Yankees. This trade is often slammed as the worst in the world and the start of the ‘Curse of the Bambino.’ Ruth reached his full potential in the Bronx, as he recorded 714 home runs in his career, which was the highest in baseball before Hank Aaron broke it in 1974. He led the American League in home runs 12 times in his career and hit 60 homers in the 1927 season.

Trump is expecting a similar performance from the four-time MVP, Shohei Ohtani. The 32-year-old has yet to lead the league in home runs. When he was still with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani led the American League with 44 home runs in 2023. Since his move to the NL as a Dodger, he has not finished as the top home run producer. In 2024, his 54 homers fell second to Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ captain. Last season, Ohtani ranked third with 55 homers, behind Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber.

This season, after navigating a lengthy hitting slump, Ohtani has found his rhythm as the Dodgers’ DH. Batting .283, Ohtani has hit 22 homers in 94 games so far. Minor injuries have also plagued him before his knee inflammation shut him down from pitching. In fact, before the knee issues, Ohtani was having a Cy Young-worthy season, posting a 1.79 ERA across 14 starts with an 8-2 record. Moving on, Ohtani will be in action as the Dodgers’ DH on Friday.

As the Dodgers went to the White House for their second consecutive visit on Thursday, they brought the president some customized gifts.

The Dodgers celebrate their World Series win at the White House

As the Los Angeles Dodgers pursue a third consecutive World Series title, they visited the White House on Thursday. It has long been a tradition for championship baseball teams to visit the president, a custom that dates back to 1869, predating the World Series in its modern form.

On Thursday, they finally had their visit. President Donald Trump named the Dodgers as a “great brand,” and the team presented him with a Trump 47 jersey. However, what surprised Trump was a replica of their World Series ring that the Dodgers gave him. He was prompt to put it inside his suit jacket, per ESPN.

“Wow. Do I have to report this? I don’t want to report this,” Trump exclaimed on receiving the ring, per ESPN.

The Dodgers were welcomed with an instrumental version of Randy Newman’s I Love LA. During the Rose Garden event, Trump also spoke at length about their thrilling World Series victory, especially mentioning the 18-inning marathon that was Game 3.

From the defending World Series champion team, Mookie Betts was missing on Thursday. He chose to spend his free time with family.

Now, the Dodgers have to wait a few more months to know whether they will be back again at Rose Garden next year, this time with three trophies to display.