Lester missed White House trip due to family death, not politics

Jon Lester was a notable absence at the White House on Monday as the World Series winning Chicago Cubs were honored by United States President Barack Obama.

After receiving some criticism for not showing up, Lester clarified that the reason for his absence was family related.

"For those of you so quick to jump to conclusions, we had a death in the family and the funeral was yesterday," Lester wrote on Twitter. "Absolutely nothing political."

Lester wasn't the only member of the World Series-winning side to miss the event, as Hector Rondon, Jake Arrieta, and John Lackey were also not at the White House. Current St. Louis Cardinal Dexter Fowler and New York Yankee Aroldis Chapman - who both won the title with Chicago last season - were in attendance.

Arrieta said last week that his absence was due to family medical issues, and, like Lester, not for political reasons.

"People can believe I'm politically this way or that way," Arieta said Friday, according to Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago. "That's not the case. It's pretty simple, my political stance. I don't consider myself a Democrat or a Republican. I want a president who's going to do a good job. That's where I stand."