MLB suspends Cavalli seven games, Mikolas five games for roles in brawl

After a review of Tuesday's fracas, MLB announced suspensions for Cade Cavalli and Miles Mikolas, plus Boston's Willson Contreras and Nate Eaton

Major League Baseball has suspended Cade Cavalli and Willson Contreras seven games, Miles Mikolas five games and Nate Eaton three games for their roles in Tuesday night’s brawl between the Nationals and Red Sox at Fenway Park.

The league handed down the punishments late this afternoon after reviewing the incident, determining Cavalli and Contreras were both responsible for the fracas that took place while also flagging Mikolas and Eaton for their role in the brawl itself.

The suspensions are scheduled to begin Friday, but all four players are entitled to appeal, which would delay when they actually have to be served.

In the announcement, MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill cited Cavalli for “his actions initiating and during the benches-clearing incident” and Contreras for “his actions during and following the benches-clearing incident.” Both Mikolas and Eaton, who wrestled with each other during the brawl, were cited for “actions during the benches-clearing incident.”

The brawl took place after Cavalli struck out Contreras in the bottom of the fourth, then shouted at the Red Sox first baseman: “Sit down, boy.” Contreras jawed back at the pitcher, prompting both teams’ benches and bullpens to empty. Contreras then tried to throw his helmet at Cavalli, only to strike Nationals first baseman Andrés Chaparro instead.

The umpiring crew ejected Contreras, Mikolas, Eaton and Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy, allowing Cavalli to continue pitching. As the game (in which Cavalli retired the last 19 batters he faced and finished with a career-high 13 strikeouts over seven innings of one-hit ball) played out, video and audio of what the pitcher said began circulating over social media, causing an uproar from those who interpreted the phrase as racist.

It did not appear that Contreras, who had already gotten under Cavalli’s skin when he purposely brushed up against him jogging back to the dugout at the end of the first inning, charged the mound because of the phrase itself.

Cavalli insisted there was no offensive intent behind his words, noting he has used the same phrase throughout his life in competitive banter with family, friends and opponents. He did not realize how it had been received by the public until he returned to the team hotel after the game and checked his phone.

Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni and manager Blake Butera, who also did not know about the uproar in the immediate aftermath of the game, met with Cavalli on Wednesday morning. They came away convinced Cavalli never intended the phrase to be offensive toward Contreras but explained the history of it when directed toward black men, to which the pitcher expressed sincere contrition.

“It gets perceived in a way that was not my intention, and then you learn from that,” Cavalli said Wednesday morning. “It’ll never happen again.”

The Nationals did not believe Cavalli deserved any team-imposed punishment because, as Toboni explained, “I think he used a set of words that he did not intend to demean someone in some racial way.”

If the suspensions are served in full without appeal, the Nats would have to play with only 24 active players on the roster instead of 26. Mikolas is scheduled to start Sunday’s game against the Pirates, with Cavalli scheduled to start Monday’s game against the Astros.

If one or both players do appeal, they would remain eligible to pitch until the process is complete. Players typically appeal most MLB-imposed suspensions, and in many cases see their penalties reduced by one or two games.