BALTIMORE – It was an iconic baseball celebration: Boston Red Sox catcher Christian Vázquez leaping into the arms of pitcher Chris Sale after the final out of the World Series last fall, teammates in perfect unison.
But on Thursday, the star players will be far apart. Sale is headed to the White House where the 2018 champions will be honored by President Trump. Vázquez will be home in Boston, one of at least 10 players, all Latino or African American, who have elected not to attend.
“It’s personal, bro,” Vázquez, who is from Bayamón, Puerto Rico, said in a brief interview before a game against the Orioles here Wednesday.