Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli has issued a groveling public apology after shouting a racially insensitive remark at Boston Red Sox star Willson Contreras.
The 27-year-old right-hander sparked a massive benches-clearing brawl at Fenway Park on Tuesday night after aggressively screaming ‘sit down, boy’ at his rival.
The explosive on-field confrontation erupted in the fourth inning of the Nationals’ 8-1 victory after Cavalli successfully struck Contreras out looking on a full count.
The term ‘boy’ carries a racist history in the United States, prompting immediate and severe public backlash against the Washington pitcher.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, a visibly distraught Cavalli insisted there was absolutely zero racial malice behind his explosive choice of words on the mound.
‘I’m extremely torn up about the way that things were perceived,’ Cavalli stated regarding the fallout. ‘Obviously, there was no ill intention behind that’.
Bosston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras apporaches the mound to confront Cade Cavalli, but is stopped by his countryman, Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz on Tuesday night
Willson Contreras tries to get to Washington pitcher Cade Cavalli on Tuesday in Boston
The intense home-plate drama kicked off when Contreras immediately took offense to the taunt, shouting back: ‘Are you talking to me?’ before charging the mound.
In ESPN’s broadcast footage, the first baseman was stopped before reaching the pitcher, but attempted to hurl his batting helmet at Cavalli.
The chaotic dustup resulted in four ejections, including Contreras, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy, outfielder Nate Eaton, and Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas.
When asked if he felt there was a direct racial component to Cavalli’s aggressive taunt, Contreras stated that he plans to ‘let MLB handle that’.
Cavalli explained that the gravity of the situation and the public outcry didn’t fully register until he checked social media after returning to his Boston hotel room.
‘I looked at my phone and I saw what people were saying about me. Saw how torn up my wife was. It hurt my heart,’ the pitcher confessed to reporters.
‘I couldn’t believe it. I really couldn’t. Because I know that people know me, and they know my character, and that’s not me’.
‘So it was hard. I truly didn’t sleep last night,’ he added, emphasizing the emotional toll the widespread internet backlash had taken on him and his family.
Cade Cavalli is restrained after having words with Boston slugger Willson Contreras
Boston bench coach Jose David Flores walks Willson Contreras back to the Boston dugout
Before the game, Red Sox teammates and native Venezuelans Willson Contreras (left) and Wilyer Abreu (right) raised money for their home country following its devastating earthquake
Cavalli went on to emphasize that his organization and teammates understand his true character, expressing deep regret over the negative example he may have set.
‘My teammates know me, my family knows me, this organization knows me,’ Cavalli explained, noting that the incident completely shattered his peace of mind.
‘It hurt my heart, knowing that 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.’
The Washington pitcher admitted he now fully understands the painful history behind the term, chalking the incident up to thoughtless, competitive trash talk.
‘There’s a history behind that word, and that’s just something that as a competitor, like in football or basketball, playing whiffle ball with my brother, you don’t understand it,’ he explained.
‘And then it gets perceived in a way that was not my intention, and then you learn from that. It’ll never happen again.’
Cavalli also pointed to a separate, tense moment at the end of the first inning on Tuesday where Contreras nearly collided with him as both players exited the field.
Despite expressing deep remorse during his media availability, Cavalli confirmed on Wednesday that he had not yet personally reached out to Contreras to clear the air.
‘I have not reached out to him. I know that we’re both competitors. I hope that he hears this and he understands that was not what was intended at all,’ Cavalli stated.
‘I think he knows that. But if I see him, I want to make sure that he knows that.’
