Houston Astros visit White House and President Biden to celebrate 2022 World Series championship
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston Astros continued their whirlwind tour of the East Coast on Monday with a trip to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
The ballclub was honored at the White House for their 2022 World Series Championship after they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies for the title.
The Astros organization, which included players, manager Dusty Baker, and owner Jim Crane, met President Joe Biden at noon Houston time in the East Room.
The team's first White House visit came in 2018 after they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers for the title.
This was the second visit for reacquired pitcher Justin Verlander, second baseman José Altuve and third baseman Alex Bregman. Retired catcher Jason Castro is expected to be there, too.
This second trip for Verlander comes after he rejoined the team last week in a blockbuster deal with the Mets and after he made his second first start with the team on Saturday. He gave up two runs in the Astros' 3-1 loss at Yankee Stadium.
SEE ALSO: Newly-reacquired Astro on what changed with Mets, when he's making 1st start
Still, it appears he planned to arrive in the nation's capital in style, telling MLB.com that he'll rock a gold suit for the occasion.
Houston got another pitcher back on Sunday in José Urquidy, who was on the mound for the Astros for the first time since April 30.
Urquidy had been rehabbing with the Astros' Triple-A affiliate, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, after spending time on the 60-day injured list for right shoulder inflammation.
He got into some jams, giving up five runs. But centerfielder Jake Meyers came in clutch, driving in a career-high six runs and lifting the Astros to a 9-7 win over the Yankees to split the four-game series.
It's an important trip to the East Coast for the Astros, who had the day off for the White House visit, but will start a three-game series versus the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.
The Astros are still trying to top the AL West standings, which the Texas Rangers have held tight in their grip. After the weekend series in New York, the Astros sit 2.5 games back from first place.
Still, the Astros at least headed to Washington, D.C., as winners.
This wasn't the first White House invitation for Astros manager Dusty Baker.
Former President Barack Obama personally called him in the final few weeks of his presidency in 2016 to invite him.
"I got a call on my cell phone, and it was somebody from the President's office, and I thought it was a buddy of mine pulling jokes on me," Baker said. "I said, 'How did you get my number?' So (Obama) called me back. I thought I recognized his voice," Baker told MLB.com.
The 1924 Washington Senators are believed to have made the first World Series Championship visit to the White House.
The Astros will return home to Minute Maid Park for Hall of Fame weekend Aug. 11-13.
PREVIOUS STORY FROM 2017: Houston Astros honored at the White House for World Series victory
