Sale ejected pre-game by ump who cost him a run Saturday
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- Chris Sale was ejected by umpire Dan Merzel before a pitch was thrown in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Yankees, a day after being called for a balk that scored a run.
- Sale began barking at Merzel as umpires walked past Atlanta's third-base dugout and Merzel immediately tossed him; center fielder Michael Harris II said he saw 'the motion of him throwing him out' before piecing together the previous day's incident.
- The balk came in the fifth inning of Saturday's 5-4 loss, when rookie Spencer Jones scored after an RBI triple; crew chief Dan Bellino explained Sale failed to declare he was pitching from the windup before Austin Wells' at-bat, though he had done so earlier when striking out Jose Caballero.
- Walt Weiss continued the argument Saturday and was also ejected, while Sale's Sunday outburst marked his fourth career ejection and first since Aug. 3, 2019, when he pitched for Boston.
- Sale allowed three runs and five hits in six innings Saturday for his first loss since June 28 and is now 12-7 with a 2.20 ERA across 21 starts in his third season with Atlanta.
Why it matters: The carryover ejection places the dispute squarely on a procedural rule — failing to verbally declare the windup — rather than a balls-and-strikes judgment call, which is an unusual hook for a Cy Young contender's grudge to hang on. Sale's first ejection since 2019 underscores how a technical balk call, not a blown call, escalated into a pre-game tossing.
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