Why was Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale ejected before Sunday’s first pitch at Yankee Stadium? Check details

Chris Sale carried Saturday’s frustration into Sunday morning. Instead of letting it go, he took it straight to the umpires and got ejected out of Yankee Stadium before the first pitch was even thrown. The Atlanta Braves left-hander was not scheduled to pitch in the series finale. That made the early exit even more unusual. As umpire Dan Merzel and the rest of the crew walked past the visitors’ dugout, Sale started argument.

Merzel wasted no time. He ejected the former Cy Young Award winner almost immediately. Sale still managed a few final words for crew chief Dan Bellino before heading off the field.

What sparked the sudden ejection?

In the fifth inning of Saturday’s game, Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones tripled home the tying run. Chris Sale then threw his first pitch to Austin Wells. Dan Merzel called a balk, pointing to a slight hitch in Sale’s right leg. Jones scored, and the Yankees took a 3-2 lead.

It was only the third balk of Sale’s 16-year career. Sale and manager Walt Weiss argued the call for several minutes. Weiss was ejected for the first time as a big-league manager.

Why did the balk call create so much tension?

Chris Sale is what the league calls a hybrid pitcher. He works from both the windup and the stretch, and his foot position does not clearly show which delivery is coming. Because of that, he is required to announce his choice out loud to the umpire before each pitch.

After the game, Bellino confirmed the rule. He noted that Sale had properly announced his delivery earlier when he struck out Jose Caballero. He did not make the same announcement before the pitch to Wells that was ruled a balk.

How did Chris Sale perform before the controversy?

Chris Sale, 37, allowed three runs on five hits over six innings Saturday and took his first loss since June 28. He entered the day with a 12-7 record and a 2.20 ERA across 21 starts.

Sunday marked his fourth career ejection and his first in nearly seven years. The previous one also came at Yankee Stadium, on August 3, 2019, when he was still with the Boston Red Sox. Umpire Mike Estabrook tossed him that night for arguing balls and strikes during a 9-2 loss.

Getting ejected before the first pitch of a game you are not even pitching in is rare. Sale simply could not let the previous night’s argument rest. The rest of the Braves had to play the series finale without their ace watching from the dugout.