Red Sox Legend Notes Boston's Success Since Visit With President Trump At White House
Former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon says he's "just reporting the facts"
Several Boston Red Sox players decided to take a trip to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump on July 3. The team was in town to play a series against the Washington Nationals and elected to use their off day as an opportunity to visit the Oval Office.
The day before the trip, the team had just lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 8-4, to fall to 43-45 on the season. At the time, Boston sat six games behind both the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees in the AL East and 2.5 games outside an AL wild-card spot.
But things have changed dramatically since that visit to Washington, D.C. The Red Sox swept the Nationals, then returned home to sweep a three-game series with the lowly Colorado Rockies, and just finished a four-game home sweep of AL East rival Tampa Bay with a 4-1 victory on Sunday. The victory capped off a 10-game winning streak heading into the All-Star break and sent Boston to a season-high eight games over .500, just 3.5 games behind the Blue Jays.
Former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, a member of the team's Hall of Fame, pointed out that his old club hasn't lost since visiting the White House and spending time with President Donald Trump. He had previously posted about the team's visit, calling it a "pretty cool way to spend an off day!!"
Papelbon was a member of the 2007 Red Sox World Series championship team. He closed out Game 4, throwing the final pitch of the team's World Series victory.
Players who made the White House trip in 2025 included Justin Wilson, Romy Gonzalez, Greg Weissert, Garrett Whitlock, Brennan Bernardino, Rob Refsnyde, and others. It was a bit unusual, since teams usually only take a trip to the White House following a championship, but President Trump – a professed sports lover – wasn't going to turn down a bunch of MLB stars coming to meet him.
Former Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, a member of the team's Hall of Fame, pointed out that the team hasn't lost since visiting the White House and spending time with President Donald Trump.
(Imagn Images)
We sure have come a long way from teams refusing to visit the White House during Trump's first presidency. Those days are long over, as now pro athletes are heading to the White House on their own accord.
The Red Sox' winning streak following their White House visit also comes in stark contrast to what happened to the New York Mets last month. The team faced backlash after displaying a pride flag on the Citi Field Stadium video board during the U.S. National Anthem on June 13.
Following that decision, the Mets lost seven games in a row, 10 of their next 11 and 14 of their next 17 (including being swept by the Pittsburgh Pirates). Coincidence? Most definitely. But interesting nonetheless.
The Red Sox, on the other hand, have not only won 10 games in a row (besting their previous season-high of six), but they've outscored their opponents 70-24 over that stretch. Coincidence? Most definitely. But interesting nonetheless.