With the Boston Red Sox headed to the White House to celebrate their 2018 World Series win, team manager Alex Cora has vowed not to “embarrass anybody” despite his personal opposition to President Trump.
“I’m gonna use my platform the right way. I’m not gonna embarrass anybody,” the Puerto Rico-born manager told the media on Monday, according to NESN.
“Actually, I’m gonna represent 4 million people from back home the right way when we go there,” Cora added.
Still, Cora did not exactly define what “using his platform the right way” actually means.
Red Sox President Sam Kennedy hinted that he hopes that the visit would not be turned into a political attack, but also said he would not force team members to attend the White House event. “Like in the past, it’s an invitation,” Kennedy said. “It’s not a mandatory, command performance. It’s an opportunity for these guys to get the recognition they deserve for a world championship.”
Cora has frequently criticized the president including criticism of the federal government’s response to Hurricane Maria last year. Specifically, in the aftermath of the storm, Cora criticized Trump for his comments about the recovery efforts. The Sox chief insisted in September that Trump was being “disrespectful of my country.”
“I hate talking about politics and all that, but I think this is more than politics,” Cora added. “This is about a country that really suffered. … You see the hurricanes forming now. Everybody’s panicking. It’s not easy. One thing’s for sure, and I told [the media] before, one thing I’m proud, we’re standing up on our own two feet. Like, do we need help? Yeah, we do. We know that.”
Their 2018 title represents the Red Sox ninth World Series victory.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.