Nationals Pitcher Cade Cavalli Says He Can’t Sleep After Willson Contreras Brawl

Cade Cavalli is owning the fallout from Tuesday night’s ugly scene at Fenway Park. The Washington Nationals starter admitted he’s been lying awake at night after yelling at Red Sox catcher Willson Contreras, a moment that sparked a bench-clearing brawl and got both players suspended for seven games.

“It’s been hard to sleep,” Cavalli said on the Talkin’ Baseball podcast. “I want to spread love in this world. I hope he’s doing okay.”

The trouble started in the second game of a three-game series. Cavalli struck out Contreras swinging, then shouted “Sit down, boy” loud enough for the catcher to hear it. Contreras did not let it slide. He charged the mound, tossed his helmet toward Cavalli, and both dugouts emptied in a hurry.

What Happened After the Mound Charge

Things got messy fast. Nationals reliever Miles Mikolas and Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton both tried to jump into the fray. Order was eventually restored, but MLB wasn’t messing around. Cavalli and Contreras each got seven-game suspensions. Mikolas was hit with five games. Eaton got three.

Cavalli is having a breakout season for Washington. He’s 5-4 with a 3.69 ERA over 90.1 innings, and he’s already punched out 102 batters. He was sharp that night against Boston, too, which makes the outburst feel like it came from a place of competitive heat that boiled over.

But the regret is real. Cavalli didn’t try to defend what he said or spin it as gamesmanship. He went straight to apologizing and checking in on Contreras. The two haven’t talked directly since the incident, according to sources close to the situation.

Contreras is having a monster year for Boston. He leads the team with 18 home runs and has been one of the most dangerous bats in the lineup. He’s also known for playing with a chip on his shoulder, so the reaction wasn’t exactly a surprise.

The Nationals and Red Sox don’t meet again this season, which is probably for the best. But Cavalli’s public apology and the way he’s handling the fallout might help cool things down if these two ever cross paths again. He’s got a long career ahead of him, and he clearly doesn’t want this moment to define it.