NEW YORK (AP) — Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli and Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras were each issued a seven-game suspension by Major League Baseball on Thursday for their role in a benches-clearing fight between the teams.
Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas (five games) and Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton (three games) were also suspended by MLB for their actions during the dustup that took place at Fenway Park in the fourth inning of Tuesday night's game.
The four players were also fined an undisclosed amount in the discipline announced by senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill. The suspensions were scheduled to begin on Friday when the Red Sox play at the Los Angeles Angels and the Nationals host the Pittsburgh Pirates.
If any of the players elect to appeal the penalty, the ban will be delayed until that process is completed.
Cavalli shouted at Contreras after striking him out looking on a full-count pitch. Contreras then threw his helmet at Cavalli and approached him on the mound. They began jawing at each other and both dugouts emptied.
Contreras, Eaton, Mikolas and Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy were ejected. Cavalli was not.
Contreras was tossed for a second straight game, having mimicked an appeal call after striking out on a checked swing during Monday's game. He also celebrated a three-run homer off Mikolas in that game with a massive bat flip he later apologized for. The native of Venezuela acknowledged he's been stressed since his native country was damaged by a pair of devastating earthquakes last week.
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Washington Nationals' Andrés Chaparro, center, is held back as tempers flare during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Washington Nationals' Cade Cavalli, front right, is held back as tempers flare during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Boston Red Sox's Willson Contreras (40) is held back as tempers flare during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
In a sport of headers and constant collisions, a fractured jaw would seem like a tournament-ending injury.
Not so much at the 2026 World Cup.
Austria defender Stefan Posch and England defender Djed Spence stand out on the field for the black jaw braces they have been wearing in matches.
Players have long had to wear face protections for injuries like fractured cheek bones or broken noses.
Frances’ Kylian Mbappé wore a face mask during the 2024 European Championship after breaking his nose in the opening match. Former Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech wore a helmet for years after a near fatal collision and skull injury during a match.
The jaw braces Spence and Posch wear are custom-fit devices that wrap around the back of the neck, over the top of the head and under the chin to keep the jaw stable through the wear and tear of a game.
Spence wears his after suffering a fractured jaw in one of Tottenham’s final matches of the Premier League season, when he took a flying elbow to the face on a header.
Instead of surgery that might knock him off the World Cup squad, Spence opted for the brace. Before the tournament, he called it uncomfortable, but necessary.
“Luckily I play football with my feet and not my jaw. So I was all good,” Spence said before the World Cup.
He has played in all four England games so far, and started the round of 32 win over Congo. England plays Mexico on Sunday in the round of 16.
Posch had little time to adjust to his new headgear. He was injured in a collision with a Jordan defender in Austria’s 3-1 win in first match of the tournament.
Austria feared it would lose him for the rest of the World Cup, but two trips to Los Angeles to get fitted for the brace had him back on the pitch in time for the next match against Argentina.
Posch’s tournament ended Thursday with Austria’s 3-0 loss Spain.
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
Spain's Marc Cucurella (24) falls as he clashes with Austria's Stefan Posch during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Congo's Brian Cipenga dribbles past England's Djed Spence during a World Cup round of 32 soccer match in Atlanta, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Austria's Stefan Posch reacts during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match against Spain in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
