Sports
Nationals' Cade Cavalli, Red Sox's Willson Contreras suspended 7 games for fracas
Jun 30, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras (40) gets into an altercation in the fourth inning against the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Jaiden Tripi-Imagn Images Major League Baseball suspended Washington Nationals starting pitcher Cade Cavalli and Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras seven games apiece on Thursday for their roles in a benches-clearing incident on Tuesday in Boston.
MLB also suspended Nationals right-hander Miles Mikolas for five games and Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton for three for their actions during the incident at Fenway Park.
The four players each were fined an undisclosed amount as part of the discipline.
The suspensions are scheduled to begin Friday, when the Red Sox visit the Los Angeles Angels, and the Nationals host the Pittsburgh Pirates. The players can appeal the discipline, which will be held in abeyance until the process is complete.
Cavalli, 27, apologized Wednesday for his comment toward Contreras that ignited a benches-clearing fracas in the fourth inning of Washington’s 8-1 win. After the right-hander struck out Contreras, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said he heard Cavalli yell, “Sit down, boy,” although the pitcher told reporters, “I don’t know. I just lose my head in it. I’m competitive. I just told him to sit down.”
Contreras, 34, had to be restrained as both benches emptied. He later tossed his batting helmet toward Cavalli during the melee and was ejected. Eaton and Mikolas, neither of whom was playing in the game, and Tracy also were tossed out by crew chief and second base umpire Vic Carapazza.
Contreras said after the game Tuesday that he didn’t know if there were any racial overtones to Cavalli calling him “boy.”
“I’m Venezuelan. I don’t know if he’s racist or not,” Contreras said. “I’ll let MLB handle that.”
On Wednesday, Cavalli said he did not mean to use the term in a disparaging way.
“I’m extremely torn up about the way that things were perceived,” Cavalli said. “Obviously, there was no ill intention behind that.”
Cavalli, however, said he understands the racist meaning behind the word he used, even if it wasn’t his intention.
“There’s a history behind that word, and that’s just something that as a competitor, like in football or basketball, playing wiffle ball with my brother, you don’t understand it,” Cavalli said. “And then it gets perceived in a way that was not my intention, and then you learn from that. It’ll never happen again.”
Cavalli, who stayed in the game and earned the victory, is 5-4 with a 3.69 ERA in 90 1/3 innings over 18 starts.
Contreras is batting .283 with 18 home runs and 53 RBIs in 83 games.
Eaton, 29, is batting .174 (4-for-23) with one homer and five RBIs in 11 games.
Mikolas, 37, is 2-7 with a 5.44 ERA, 17 walks and 47 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings over 18 games (seven starts) in his first season with Washington.
–Field Level Media
Sports
President Trump will not attend USMNT-Belgium World Cup match
President Donald Trump stands in the octagon during UFC Freedom 250 at White House South Lawn. SEATTLE — President Donald Trump will not attend Monday’s round of 16 World Cup match between the United States and Belgium at Seattle Stadium.
A King County spokesperson confirmed Thursday that the county has been told neither Trump nor Vice President JD Vance will be in attendance.
The United States men’s national team advanced to Monday’s match with a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night, just hours after Belgium staged a dramatic comeback to beat Senegal 3-2 in extra time.
Trump has attended several major sporting events while in office, including Game 3 of the NBA Finals last month. Kenmore Air had previously said the Federal Aviation Administration had notified the company last week of a potential presidential visit for Monday’s World Cup match if the USMNT advanced, which could have affected the local seaplane company’s ability to operate flights in the area.
Trump has not attended any World Cup matches to date, although some Cabinet members have. That includes U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who attended the USMNT’s 2-0 win over Australia in Seattle on June 19.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino attended multiple group-stage matches in Seattle.
According to the Seattle Times, neither Trump nor Vance have paid a visit to Seattle in their capacity as president or vice president.
Seattle Stadium hosted four group stage matches, including Belgium’s 1-1 draw with Egypt and the USMNT win over Australia. Belgium’s victory over Senegal also came at Seattle Stadium, and the Red Devils’ World Cup base camp is located just a few miles south at the Sounders FC Performance Center.
Monday’s 5 p.m. PT match at Seattle Stadium will be the last at the site in this tournament.
–Derek Harper, Field Level Media
Sports
Jaylen Brown: Both 'excited and disappointed' by trade
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Jaylen Brown said goodbye to Boston on Thursday, admitting he was “still processing how this all went down,” a day after being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Brown, linked all offseason to a possible trade to the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, had his best pro season in 2025-26 as he led the team with Jayson Tatum out due to an injury until his return on March 6.
Once Antetokounmpo was dealt to the Miami Heat, the Celtics engaged in trade talks with other teams.
Brown, 29, said he was invested in the Celtics and the city of Boston.
“I’m excited and disappointed at the same time. I earned my respect from this city,” he wrote in his statement. “I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. I simply showed up every day, put my head down, and accepted every challenge.
“The relationships I built here, the battles we fought together, the championship we brought to this city, and the connection I shared with the fans, I’ll carry on with me.”
The Celtics finished last season with a 56-26 record, four games behind the Detroit Pistons and a favorite to play for the NBA title. Instead, they were sent home in the first round of the playoffs, losing to the 76ers in seven games.
Trading Brown for Antetokounmpo potentially could have given the Celtics the piece they needed to win a championships. Fans and analysts have been highly critical of the Wednesday trade, which sends Brown to Philadelphia for 36-year-old Paul George, two first-round picks (2028, which could be a swap that is more favorable for Boston, and an unprotected 2031 pick) and two second-round picks (2028 and 2030) to Boston for Brown.
George has suffered several injuries since the 2018-19 season, when he played in 77 games, and has been limited to 56 games or fewer in six of his seven seasons since then. He played 74 games in 2023-24. In his two seasons with the 76ers, George appeared in 78 total games.
Brown finished sixth in NBA MVP voting in 2026 after averaging a career-high 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. He is a five-time All-Star.
“Saying goodbye isn’t easy when you’ve invested your heart into something,” Brown said. “I’m big on respect and actions speak louder than words. To the people of Boston, thank you. To the community I built here I love you.”
Brown said he is ready to embrace his new team.
“I’m excited for what’s ahead and grateful for the opportunity to join Philadelphia. Every city has its own identity, its own passion, and its own expectation. I respect that, and I’m looking forward to earning that respect the only way I know how … through the work.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Revitalized Sabrina Ionescu leads Liberty vs. league-best Lynx
Jun 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) dribbles against Golden State Valkyries guard-forward Kaila Charles (6) in the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images Sabrina Ionescu appears to be back, which is great news for her New York Liberty.
The Liberty (12-8), who are set to play host to the Minnesota Lynx (15-4) on Friday night, are coming off a win over the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship game.
Ionescu, a four-time All-Star, entered this week averaging just 9.5 points in eight games of a season in which she has been slowed first by a foot injury and then back pain. However, Ionescu scored a season-high 26 points against the Aces, making 5 of 13 shots from 3-point range.
“I always have belief in myself,” Ionescu said. “An injury is not going to diminish my understanding of who I am.”
One of the keys for Ionescu in the Cup final was that she attacked the rim more, which opened up her 3-point game.
If Ionescu is truly back, New York’s starting lineup — which has been in flux all year due to a variety of injuries — has been solidified. The other components are Cup final MVP Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Leonie Fiebich and rookie point guard Pauline Astier.
Meanwhile, Minnesota has a rookie point guard of its own, Olivia Miles, who averages 18.7 points, 5.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals. Miles, 23, has been so good that she is a near-lock for Rookie of the Year and a strong contender for league MVP.
On the other end of the experience scale is Lynx veteran Natasha Howard, 34. Howard is having a career year, shooting 61.1% from the floor, which leads the league (minimum seven shots per game). Howard also averages 17.7 points and a career-high 8.2 rebounds.
Those two players are a big reason why the Lynx have the best record in the WNBA. That top spot in the standings is shocking considering that Lynx star Napheesa Collier has missed the whole season following surgery on both of her ankles.
Collier, who finished second in MVP voting last year, returned to practice on Wednesday, although there is no target date for her to get back to playing games.
“We’re not at the end yet,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said of the comebacks of Collier and Dorka Juhasz (foot). “There’s more work to do.”
Reeve was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame last Saturday.
–Field Level Media
President Trump will not attend USMNT-Belgium World Cup match
Jaylen Brown: Both 'excited and disappointed' by trade
