When the Boston Red Sox visit the White House on May 9 to celebrate their 2018 World Series championship, they’ll be without another core player.

Center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. told the Boston Globe on Wednesday that he’s decided he won’t join many of his Red Sox teammates when they head to the White House this spring. He opted not to talk about why he made that decision, telling the Globe, “I don’t get into politics. But I won’t be going.”

Bradley has visited the White House twice before, but not with the Red Sox. He played baseball with the University of South Carolina when he was in college, and visited the White House after the team won the College World Series in 2010 and 2011.

Jackie Bradley Jr. (left) and Mookie Betts of the Boston Red Sox celebrate after winning the 2018 World Series. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) More

Bradley’s not the only Red Sox player who has decided to skip the White House visit. Reigning American League MVP Mookie Betts told the Globe a few weeks ago that he wouldn’t be going, and third baseman Rafael Devers said in January that he also wouldn’t be attending. Several others are undecided, like Eduardo Nunez, Eduardo Rodriguez, Xander Bogaerts and manager Alex Cora. A number of others, including Chris Sale, Brock Holt and Mitch Moreland, have already said they will visit the White House with the team.

Like Bradley, Betts, and Devers, there are players from Boston’s most recent championship team, the New England Patriots, who have already said they’ll be staying home. Players Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty, and Duron Harmon told reporters after the Super Bowl that when (or if) the Patriots are invited to the White House, they won’t be going.

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