Willson Contreras will be suspended seven games for his role in Tuesday’s benches- and bullpens-clearing incident between the Boston Red Sox and Washington Nationals at Fenway Park, Major League Baseball announced Thursday evening.
The veteran first baseman is one of four players to be penalized.
Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli, who sparked the melee with taunts of “Sit down, boy” to Contreras after striking him out in the bottom of the fourth, also received a seven-game suspension “for his actions initiating and during the benches-clearing incident.”
Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas received a five-game suspension, while Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaten received a three-game suspension.
All four players were fined an undisclosed amount as well.
Unless appealed, the suspensions will begin Friday. The Red Sox are in Anaheim for a three-game set with the Angels. After an off-day Monday, they head to Chicago for a trio with the White Sox, followed by three against the Mets in New York next weekend, the final games before the All-Star break.