Willson Contreras once again went Willson Contreras during Tuesday’s game.
Contreras and the Boston Red Sox played Tuesday against the Washington Nationals. In the fourth inning at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass. the Red Sox first baseman Contreras struck out looking against Nationals starter Cade Cavalli.
After striking out Contreras, Cavalli appeared to talk some trash by loudly saying, “Sit down, boy.” That led to Contreras staring down Cavalli and asking him, “You talking to me?”
The incident ended up getting progressively more heated, and Contreras eventually charged at Cavalli. Contreras did not make it very far as the benches were already emptying, but he succeeded in firing his helmet at Cavalli from a small distance.
Here is the full video of the incident.
Willson Contreras throws his helmet during a benches clearing incident after Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli told him to “sit down boy” pic.twitter.com/IBEyYXKReN
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 1, 2026
Contreras ended up being ejected from the game along with Red Sox teammate Nate Eaton and Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy. Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas was also ejected, but Cavalli was notably allowed to stay in the game.
The three-time All-Star Contreras is known as a hothead who has sparked multiple benches-clearing incidents over the last several years. But you might be able to cut him a little bit of slack this time around after he was provoked by Cavalli while in a heightened emotional state amid the recent tragic earthquakes in his native Venezuela.
Some things are bigger than baseball. When Willson Contreras hit this home run, he did it for himself, his family, and for the people of Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/0XoCwrsu2G
— MLB (@MLB) June 30, 2026
