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Cavalli, Contreras, 2 others disciplined for Nats-Red Sox dustup
ESPN • • general
Key Points:
- Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli and Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras were each suspended for seven games following a benches-clearing brawl at Fenway Park on Tuesday night, MLB announced.
- Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas received a five-game suspension, while Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton was suspended for three games; all players were also fined an undisclosed amount.
- The altercation began after Cavalli struck out Contreras and used the phrase "Sit down, boy," which has a racist history in the U.S.; Contreras, who is Venezuelan, chose to let MLB handle any racial implications.
- Contreras charged the mound after a verbal exchange but was stopped before reaching Cavalli; multiple players and Boston interim manager Chad Tracy were ejected during the incident.
- Cavalli apologized publicly, expressing regret over how his words were perceived and emphasizing that there was no ill intent behind them, highlighting the impact on young Black fans who look up to him.
