Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli apologizes Wednesday after a “sit down, boy” remark made to Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras helped spark a bench-clearing brawl between the teams. Multiple reports say Cavalli made the comment after striking out Contreras looking in the fourth inning of a game Washington won 8-1. Afterward, Contreras charged toward the mound and threw his helmet, escalating the situation and leading to Contreras’ ejection.
Cavalli says he is “extremely torn up” about how his words were perceived and says he had no ill intention. He acknowledges the term’s history and says he has learned from the incident. Following the fight, MLB suspends both Cavalli and Contreras for seven games each, according to reporting cited by outlets. Several sources describe Cavalli as taking responsibility for the incident and stating that the behavior will not happen again.
