Which Red Sox Players Attended White House Visit, Met President Trump?

There was no championship to celebrate, but Red Sox players paid the president a visit.

Jan 18, 2021; Washington, DC, USA; Exterior views of The White House. Security preparations continue around The White House and Lafayette Park in preparation for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Mandatory Credit: Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAY / Andrew P. Scott-USA TODAY

Several Boston Red Sox players partook in a visit to the White House and met President Donald Trump during the club's off day in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

Margo Martin, a special assistant to the president and communications advisor, posted a video of a group of Red Sox players shaking hands with President Trump in the Oval Office.

Those players were relief pitchers Justin Wilson, Greg Weissert, Brennan Bernardino, and Garrett Whitlock, infielders Trevor Story, Abraham Toro, and Romy Gonzalez, outfielders Wilyer Abreu and Rob Refsnyder, and catcher Connor Wong.

When asked for comment, a Red Sox spokesperson said the team's family road trip included a tour of the White House, according to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald.

Per Tim Healey of the Boston Globe, the visit was scheduled as an "apolitical, behind-the scenes tour with no expectations of publicity or meeting President Trump." That visit then became public when Martin took the video.

Typically, teams visit the White House when they win championships, as the Red Sox did in 2018, during Trump's first term. Those visits include a larger outdoor ceremony, however. This was evidently more of an informal meet-and-greet.

It's unclear if the invitation was extended to the full team, or only those traveling with their families, so it would be inaccurate to state with certainty that any player "declined" the tour.

The Red Sox will begin their series with the Washington Nationals on Friday, Independence Day, bright and early at 11 a.m. EST.