Epstein Weighs in On Arrieta's Election Comments

Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta created quite a stir earlier this week when he sent out a tweet trolling Hillary Clinton’s celebrity supporters, and on Friday Cubs President Theo Epstein weighed in on the controversy surrounding the pitcher.

Epstein, a Clinton supporter himself, did not condemn Arrieta’s tweet, but he did make it a point to say that the pitcher could have approached things differently.

“I’m still processing that,” Epstein said at the G.M. meetings in Arizona. “I believe in the First Amendment. But I also believe we should be mindful of how other people feel.”

Arrieta’s comments came the day after Donald Trump defeated Clinton in a hotly-contested presidential race, and while he wasn’t directly complimentary of Trump, his message seemed clear on Twitter.

“Time for Hollywood to pony up and head for the border #illhelpyoupack #beatit,” his tweet read.

Despite the controversy, Epstein stood up for Arrieta’s ability to speak out about his beliefs and said he welcomed the chance for constructive dialogue.

“Tolerance is important, especially in a democracy,” he said. “The ability to have honest conversations, even if you come from a different place, a different perspective is fundamentally important.”

According to the Chicago Tribune and other outlets, Epstein donated money to the Clinton campaign during the election cycle, but the Cubs’ owners, the Ricketts family, largely supported Trump’s candidacy with their own Super PAC.

Contact Us