Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli has issued an apology for a comment made to Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras during a game on Tuesday, an exchange that ultimately led to a brawl and the ejection of multiple players. Cavalli directed the phrase “Sit down, boy” at Contreras after striking him out looking in the fourth inning of the Nationals’ 8-1 victory.
“I’m extremely torn up about the way things were perceived. Obviously, there was no ill intention behind that,” Cavalli told reporters on Wednesday. He acknowledged that the term “boy” carries racist undertones in the United States. Contreras, who is Venezuelan, stated after the game that he would “let MLB handle that” when asked about potential racist implications of Cavalli’s remark.
Cavalli explained his lack of awareness regarding the historical context of the word, comparing it to casual language used in informal games. “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. And then it gets perceived in a way that was not my intention, and then you learn from that,” Cavalli said. “It’ll never happen again.”
The pitcher stated he was unaware of the controversy until he returned to the team hotel. “I looked at my phone, and I saw what people were saying about me,” he said. “Saw how torn up my wife was. It hurt my heart… 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.”
Following Cavalli's comment, Contreras yelled back, “Are you talking to me?” as he walked toward the dugout. Words were exchanged, and Contreras then charged the mound, attempting to throw his helmet at Cavalli before being restrained by other players. The incident, though brief, resulted in the ejections of Contreras, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy, Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton, and Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas.
Cavalli mentioned he had not yet personally apologized to Contreras but expressed hope that his message would be heard. “I hope that he hears this and understands that was not what was intended at all. I think he knows that. But if I see him, I want to make sure that he knows that,” Cavalli added.