MLB punishes four Red Sox, Nationals players after benches-clearing incident
· Yahoo Sports
Boston Red Sox slugger Willson Contreras and Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli, who had to be separated by teammates amid a benches-clearing incident June 30, were among four players suspended July 2 by Major League Baseball.
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Cavalli and Contreras got the harshest punishments. Each was suspended seven games and received an undisclosed fine.
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In addition, Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas received a five-game suspension for his actions, while Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton received a three-game suspension for his.
Unless appealed, all four suspensions will be scheduled to begin tomorrow, when the Red Sox are to play at Angel Stadium and the Nationals are to host the Pittsburgh Pirates. If any player elects to appeal, then his discipline will be held in abeyance until that process is complete.
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Contreras jogged in front of Cavalli, nearly making contact with the pitcher, while heading back to his own dugout after the first inning of the game at Fenway Park.
Cavalli yelled “sit down boy” in the direction of Contreras after striking him out in their next plate appearance — words that drew a heated reaction from Contreras, drew players from both benches onto the field, and landed the 27-year-old pitcher in his manager’s office the next day.
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“I’m extremely torn up about the way that things were perceived,” Cavalli said. “Obviously, there was no ill intention behind that. My teammates know me, my family knows me, this organization knows me. I couldn’t sleep because of it.
“It hurt my heart knowing if there’s a 13-year-old Black kid in D.C. that sees that, that looked up to me and thinks that, he perceived it in a way that wasn’t intended the way that it came out, and then he’s not looking up to me anymore, that hurts my heart.”
According to the team’s website, the Nationals did not intend to discipline Cavalli on their own before the league rendered its own punishment.
Contreras, Mikolas, Eaton, and Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy were ejected during the game.