Major League Baseball has handed down discipline related to the bench-clearing brawl between the Nationals and Red Sox on Tuesday. Washington starter Cade Cavalli has been suspended for seven games, while rotation mate Miles Mikolas got a five-game ban. Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras got seven games for his actions during and after the incident, while backup infielder Nate Eaton received a three-game ban for his role in the brawl.
All four players were fined an undisclosed amount. They all have the right to appeal and seem likely to do so, as that’s the typical practice in these situations. The suspensions would otherwise begin tomorrow because both teams are off tonight.
Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that Contreras’ suspension was elevated because the three-time All-Star violated a league rule on using social media during a game. Contreras was ejected but went on Instagram to reply “come meet me at Fenway” to a fan who insulted him while the game was still in progress.
More to come.