Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli apologized Wednesday for shouting at Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras during a game. Cavalli said he didn’t mean to offend anyone and understands the history behind the word he used.

Incident Details

Cavalli shouted at Contreras after striking him out looking with a full-count pitch in the fourth inning of the Nationals’ 8-1 victory over the Red Sox. The term he used has a racist history in the United States. Contreras, who is Venezuelan, didn’t comment on whether he felt there was a racial component to Cavalli’s word choice.

Cavalli said he couldn’t sleep because of the incident and it hurt his heart to think that a young fan might have perceived his words in a way that wasn’t intended. He hopes to apologize to Contreras in person and explain that there was no ill intention behind his words.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.