Houston Astros Visit President Donald Trump at White House

The Houston Astros visited the White House and President Donald Trump on Monday to celebrate their 2017 World Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

"This is a hell of a team," Trump said during his comments, per Daniel Gotera of KHOU-TV.

"The Astros' victory for the ages was truly a team effort," he added, per Fox News.

He also praised manager A.J. Hinch.

"You've become very famous," he said, per Gotera. "You did a great job of skippering."

Trump also praised the Astros for persevering in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, calling their title "a befitting tribute...really a show of world spirit and 'Houston Strong,'" per ABC News.      

Two of the lighter moments in the ceremony came when Trump was discussing Justin Verlander's golf game, and Hinch noted the team abstained from gifting Trump with a Speedo, per David Nakamura of the Washington Post: 

That was in reference to Josh Reddick, who celebrated the team's American League Division Series victory over the Boston Red Sox by donning an American flag Speedo.

The Astros posted the full ceremony on their Twitter account:

The entire team wasn't in attendance, however. Four Astros skipped the ceremony: Superstar shortstop Carlos Correa, retired outfielder Carlos Beltran, pitcher Francis Martes and closer Ken Giles, according to Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle.             

Both Correa and Beltran are from Puerto Rico, and while Beltran maintained in the past he wasn't skipping the event because of President Trump, he has said he's been disappointed with the White House's response—or lack thereof—to the hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico in 2017.              

"We're very disappointed in the government that we haven't gotten the same benefits," he said in February, per Wallace Matthews of the New York Times. "Being a part of the United States, you expect at least to be treated the same way when tragedies like this happen."