Chris Sale Ejected Before Braves Game Against Yankees

Atlanta Braves starter Chris Sale found himself in an unusual situation at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. He was ejected before he even stepped onto the mound to pitch. The incident stemmed from a disagreement over a balk call from the previous night’s game against the New York Yankees.

Before the series finale began, Sale expressed his frustration with umpire Dan Merzel, who called the balk during the fifth inning on Saturday. Sale’s vocal protest led to Merzel ejecting him from the game before Yankees starter Cam Schlittler threw an official pitch.

“I wasn’t even supposed to pitch, but I needed to say something,” Sale said afterward.

Sale’s career has seen few balks, with only two occurrences before the controversial Saturday night call. During that game, Yankees rookie Spencer Jones exploited the balk call, scoring a crucial run after hitting an RBI triple just moments earlier. This proved impactful, as the Yankees edged the Braves with a 5-4 victory.

Braves manager Walt Weiss also got ejected during Saturday’s game following Sale’s ongoing confrontation with Merzel. Weiss intervened in the argument in an attempt to defuse the situation.

Chris Sale ended Saturday’s game with three runs allowed on five hits over six innings. This marked his first loss since late June, as he continues a strong season with the Braves, showcasing a 2.20 ERA across 21 starts.

Despite Sale’s absence from the dugout on Sunday, the Braves managed to pull through with a 2-1 victory in extra innings, salvaging the series against the Yankees.