that sees that — that looked up to me and thinks that he perceived it in a way that wasn't intended the way that it came out, and then he's not looking up to me anymore — that hurts my heart."
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The pitcher stated that competitive environments sometimes obscure the weight of certain language until a broader audience reacts.
He noted that he understands the history behind the word.
"There's a history behind that word, and that's just something that as a competitor, like in football or basketball, playing whiffle ball with my brother, you don't understand it," Cavalli explained.
"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 explained that he did not realize the scale of the social media backlash until returning to his hotel room.
He expressed distress over the impact the situation had on his family.
"I looked at my phone, and I saw what people were saying about me. Saw how torn up my wife was.
It hurt my heart," Cavalli recalled. "I couldn't believe it.
I really couldn't. Because I know that people know me, and they know my character, and that's not me.
So, it was hard. I truly didn't sleep last night."
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The Nationals pitcher has not directly spoken with the Red Sox first baseman following the game. However, he expressed hope that his public explanation would clarify the situation.
