Astros accept President Trump’s invitation to visit White House

The World Series champions are going to Washington D.C.

Astros president of business operations Reid Ryan acknowledged Wednesday that Houston is "honored" by formally receiving an invite to the White House and that they will accept it.

When they will trek to the nation's capital to take part in a ceremony President Trump has helped politicize since taking office is not clear yet.

"This is a tradition and an honor. For many people, this might be their only time to ever be invited to the White House," Ryan told the Houston Chronicle. "And as the representatives of baseball and the World Series champs, when the White House calls and invites you to come up, it's something that as an organization we felt both a responsibility and an obligation to be part of."

The team is planning on making an official announcement that includes details about the visit by the end of January.

Houston does have off from Grapefruit League action between March 12 and March 20.

The Astros will join the Cubs as the second baseball team to visit Trump's White House.

Chicago went while Obama was still in office following their 2016 World Series win and then again after Trump was sworn in.

The reigning NBA champion Warriors were quite open about not wanting to visit the White House, so Trump publicly uninvited them.

North Carolina's men's basketball team did not visit either, citing scheduling issues.

Related: Inside the Pittsburgh Penguins' visit to the White House:

South Carolina's women's basketball squad, last year's tournament winners, received their invitation to celebrate at the White House a day before the November event.

They declined.

Months prior, Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley expressed her discontent that the Gamecocks — who won the title back in March — had not yet received an invitation to the White House.

"We haven't gotten an invitation yet and that in itself speaks volumes," she said. "We won before those other teams won their championships. I don't know what else has to happen."