Alex Cora not attending Boston Red Sox's White House visit Thursday

May 05-- May 5--CHICAGO -- Manager Alex Cora will not join the Boston Red Sox at the White House to celebrate the 2018 World Series title Thursday.

El Nuevo Día in Puerto Rico was the first to report the news. MassLive.com has confirmed it.

Per El Nuevo Día's report, "His decision, as detailed, is based on his understanding that Puerto Rico has not yet recovered after the passage of Hurricane Maria in September 2017."

President Donald Trump tweeted about the death toll after Hurricane Maria, claiming that the number of deaths had been exaggerated.

Last year, Cora, a native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, called the tweets "disrespectful." He also said that he was frustrated that the argument over the number of deaths had become political.

President Trump has said Puerto Rico received too much aide after the hurricane. He also has called Puerto Rico leaders "grossly incompetent" and San Juan mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz "crazed and incompetent."

Hector Velazquez, Boston Red Sox pitcher: President Donald Trump 'has said a lot of stuff about Mexico. I'd rather not offend' people back home by visiting White House

Boston Red Sox pitcher Hector Velazquez will not attend the White House visit May 9, because of the harsh remarks President Donald Trump has made about his native Mexico.

Several Red Sox will not attend, including catcher Christian Vazquez, who is a native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

"Personal. It's personal," Vazquez told MassLive.com. "Nothing crazy but my opinion."

Asked if his decision has to do with President Trump's remarks about Puerto Rico, Vazquez said, "I don't know."

___

Visit MassLive.com, Springfield, Mass. at www.masslive.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.