Cade Cavalli might be kicking himself for his remark toward Willson Contreras on Tuesday now. With three years of MLB experience already under his belt, one would have expected the 27-year-old right-hander to know better. And now, after MLB handed the Washington Nationals star his punishment for instigating a benches-clearing brawl at Fenway Park, the pitcher candidly expressed his feelings to the media.

“It’s been a tough couple of days. It has been hard to sleep. I just never in a million years thought that I would be in this situation,” Cade Cavalli said on Talkin’ Baseball. “You think of the character of this clubhouse as full of integrity, full of love, and that’s what we want to spread to everyone that walks in here. To think that in an instant, where there was no ill intention that could distract from those things that we value, it’s hard. I have high respect for him.”

During the Boston Red Sox-Nationals face-off on Tuesday, one tactless comment from Cavalli had heavy repercussions.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Red Sox held a 1-0 lead with Willson Contreras at the plate. What the umpire ruled to be a third ball was overturned following a challenge from the Nationals. Three pitches later, Contreras struck out.

The emotionally suffering Venezuelan player was peacefully heading towards his dugout when Cavalli’s remark stopped him.

“Sit down, boy,” Cavalli had said.

“Are you talking to me? Why are you talking to me?” Contreras fired back and started walking towards Cavalli.

The Nationals pitcher was intercepted by the umpire and his teammate, catcher Keibert Ruiz. The incident sparked a massive brawl as benches cleared at Fenway. Contreras even tried to throw his helmet towards Cavalli, while others were pushing and shoving each other. It was quite a night on Tuesday, as the play stopped for 11 minutes.

Crew chief Vic Carapazza ejected Contreras, Nate Eaton, and Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy after the incident. It marked the second ejection for Contreras in back-to-back games. While Cavalli managed to escape ejection, the MLB has a punishment awaiting him.

Following the MLB’s investigation into Tuesday’s benches-clearing incident, Cavalli was suspended for 7 games. Contreras also suffered the same fate. The league also suspended Miles Mikolas (five games) and Nate Eaton (three games) as part of the disciplinary action.

The four players also have to pay an undisclosed fine to MLB.

Handed a multi-game suspension, Cavalli appears to have reflected on his words and regrets his actions.

“Hope he’s doing OK,” Cavalli told the media. “If I see him in person. You know, this is a conversation we’re going to have. I think he understands that we’re both high competitors, and it’s part of what makes us who we are. That’s nothing we shy away from, and we want to do it in a respectful way.”

It was the respectful part that was missing from Cavalli’s snide remarks on Tuesday. However, he seems to have turned a new page following the strict actions from MLB.