On April 7, 2025, after securing their 2024 World Series title with a tight 7-6 Game 5 victory over the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated in Washington, D.C. Manager Dave Roberts, pitcher Clayton Kershaw, and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani were all there, shaking hands with President Donald Trump in the East Room of the White House. For many, it was a moment of pride, the ultimate victory lap. But if you’re Michael Elizondo, an Associate Editor at True Blue LA, that image was just the first piece of a much larger, and far more unsettling, puzzle. He even dropped a quote that sums up his feelings: "Oh God, I’m going to have to revisit “The Useful Idiots,” aren’t I…"
More Than a $70 Soda Cup: The Dodgers' Own-Goals
Look, let's be real, sometimes this Dodgers organization is just plain hard to love. While kids and dogs might offer unconditional adoration, adults gain the wisdom to see the bigger picture. The author of the op-ed makes it clear that for every win, like fulfilling pledges to immigrants affected by ICE or celebrating Pride Night, there's a baffling "own-goal" right around the corner. Think about it: the Gondola project, concrete falling on patrons at Dodger Stadium, how the team treats its tour guides, or the ongoing issues with stadium security. Even the infamous $70 Ohtani souvenir soda cup is on that list of head-scratchers. But none of those, the author argues, hit as hard as the subject he had to reluctantly address.
When Morality Takes the Field
This isn't about politics, not the environmental stuff or tax policy or reproductive health. This isn't one of those big issues where we use sports as a balm. No, the author says, "Today, at this story’s core, we discuss simple morality." The Dodgers had already visited in April 2025 for their 2024 title. Then, on July 9th, the team confirmed what they'd announced six months earlier: they were returning to Washington, D.C., on the July 23rd off day after their Philadelphia series to celebrate their 2025 World Series title with President Donald Trump again. This second visit, confirming a pattern, brought it all back into focus. It sparked the author's strong belief that "This story has clear, bright lines between right and wrong." He reminds us, "Many of us who attain what we may and forget those who help us along the line, we’ve got to remember that there are so many others to pull along the way. The farther they go, the further we all go."
The original op-ed makes it clear: "I am proudly intolerant of fascism or those supporting fascism." And to those who might try to gloss over the clear lines between right and wrong in this whole situation? "If you want to pretend otherwise, I believe it is beyond my or this website’s ability to help you." When the team you love makes a move that sparks such a stark moral line in the sand, you've got to ask yourself, where do you stand?
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.