MLB drops hammer on Boston’s Willson Contreras with hefty suspension after helmet-throwing incident

Major League Baseball handed down four suspensions Thursday in the aftermath of Tuesday night’s benches-clearing brawl between the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Boston first baseman Willson Contreras and Washington starter Cade Cavalli each received seven-game suspensions and undisclosed fines for their roles in the fourth-inning altercation.

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The suspensions stemmed from an incident during Washington’s 8-1 victory Tuesday, when Cavalli struck out Contreras looking on a full-count pitch and yelled, “Sit down, boy.”

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Contreras answered by charging the mound, then firing his batting helmet toward Cavalli, prompting both benches and bullpens to empty.

MLB also disciplined two players who left the dugout and became involved in a separate scuffle.

Nationals right-hander Miles Mikolas was suspended five games, while Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton received a three-game ban. Both players were also fined undisclosed amounts and ejected during the game.

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All four suspensions are scheduled to begin Friday.

The Red Sox open a three-game series in Anaheim on Friday, while the Nationals host the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Boston figures to feel the impact more immediately. While Cavalli and Mikolas are likely to miss only one turn through the rotation, Contreras will be out of the Red Sox lineup for a full week.

Cavalli apologized Wednesday, saying he regretted using the word “boy” and now understands its historical weight. He added that the incident kept him awake that night because of the example he wants to set for young fans. Nationals officials also addressed the matter with the right-hander.

Contreras, meanwhile, entered Tuesday’s game after an emotional stretch. The veteran first baseman had been ejected the previous night for arguing a checked-swing call and has also spoken publicly about the stress of devastating earthquakes in his home country of Venezuela.

Any appeals would delay the suspensions until MLB’s review process is complete.

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