Chris Sale Ejected at Yankee Stadium Before Game

Chris Sale, a pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, faced an unusual ejection at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. Sale wasn’t even scheduled to pitch when he found himself removed from the game. The incident stemmed from a balk call against him the previous night, which he hadn’t let go.

On Sunday, as the umpires entered the field for the series finale between the Braves and the New York Yankees, Sale directed his frustration at umpire Dan Merzel. This occurred before Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler even threw an official pitch. Sale’s protests from the dugout led to his ejection by Merzel, who was clearly unimpressed by Sale’s demeanor.

Sale’s record showed minimal balks, with only two in his entire career before Saturday’s game. However, during Saturday night’s game, Merzel called Sale for a third career balk in the fifth inning. This call allowed Yankees rookie Spencer Jones to score after hitting an RBI triple, which contributed to the Yankees’ 5-4 victory.

“He was pitching from the windup, which he didn’t declare,” said crew chief Dan Bellino, explaining the call after the game to a pool reporter.

In that game, Sale allowed three runs on five hits over six innings, marking his first loss since late June. Despite the setback, Sale has had a strong season, showcasing a 2.20 ERA across 21 starts for the Eastern Division-leading Braves.

The Braves managed to bounce back on Sunday, securing a win over the Yankees with a 2-1 victory in extra innings. However, Sale couldn’t participate further in the game due to his ejection.