Chris Sale ejected before first pitch
The Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees met at Yankee Stadium on August 9, 2026. Braves pitcher Chris Sale was ejected by third base umpire Dan Merzel before the first pitch of the series finale.
Sale was not scheduled to pitch after starting the previous afternoon. Merzel worked at third base Sunday, one day after serving as home plate umpire during Sale’s disputed balk call in Atlanta’s 5-4 loss.
Chris Sale balk starts dispute
The confrontation traced to Atlanta’s August 8 loss. Merzel called a balk on Sale in the fifth inning after ruling that the pitcher moved before declaring he would work from the windup position.
The score was tied 2-2 with Spencer Jones on third base and Austin Wells batting. The balk sent Jones home and gave New York a 3-2 lead during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium.
Chris Sale faces hybrid pitcher rule
Crew chief Dan Bellino explained that Sale qualified as a hybrid pitcher because his starting foot position did not clearly show whether he intended to use the windup or stretch before delivering the pitch.
Bellino said hybrid pitchers must declare their intended pitching position to the umpire. Traditional pitchers using clearly identifiable windup and stretch positions do not face the same declaration requirement under that rule.
Spencer Jones scores on balk
Jones reached third base in the fifth on an RBI triple to deep center field that scored George Lombard Jr. and tied the game 2-2. José Caballero batted next before Austin Wells came up.
With Wells batting, Merzel called the balk on Sale and sent Jones home. The run was charged to Sale, giving New York a 3-2 lead that the Yankees never surrendered.
Walt Weiss receives first Braves ejection
Braves manager Walt Weiss joined the argument after Sale disputed the balk call. Merzel ejected Weiss with New York leading 3-2, marking Weiss’ first ejection since becoming Atlanta’s manager before the 2026 season.
Weiss said Sale had not needed to make such declarations during his major league career. Weiss, named Braves manager in November 2025, also said he had never encountered that rule before Saturday.
Chris Sale completes six innings
Sale completed six innings despite the fifth-inning dispute. He allowed five hits, three earned runs, and two walks while striking out eight Yankees, throwing 103 pitches, and recording 64 strikes.
The loss moved Sale’s 2026 record to 12-7 with a 2.20 ERA through 21 starts. His season totals reached 151 strikeouts across 123 innings after Saturday’s outing against New York.
Yankees hold on for 5-4 win
New York defeated Atlanta 5-4 on August 8 after taking the lead on Sale’s balk. George Lombard Jr. and Ben Rice later added solo home runs that extended the Yankees’ advantage.
Ronald Acuña Jr. homered for Atlanta in the eighth inning, and Dominic Smith added an RBI single in the ninth. David Bednar finished the game as New York preserved the one-run victory.
Chris Sale records rare ejection
Sale’s Sunday ejection was the fourth of his major league career and his first in a game he was not pitching. His previous ejection came seven years earlier, also at Yankee Stadium.
On August 3, 2019, Sale pitched for the Boston Red Sox when umpire Mike Estabrook ejected him for arguing balls and strikes during a 9-2 loss to the Yankees there.
Braves recover in series finale
The Braves recovered from Sale’s pregame ejection and defeated the Yankees 2-1 in 10 innings on August 9. The victory prevented New York from completing a three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium.
Sale was not scheduled to pitch after working six innings the previous day, so his ejection did not remove Atlanta’s planned starter. Grant Holmes started as scheduled and held New York scoreless through six innings.
Grant Holmes throws six scoreless
Grant Holmes delivered six scoreless innings in the finale, matching a six-inning scoreless start against Miami earlier that week. The Yankees put runners in scoring position twice against Holmes, but did not score against him.
New York had runners on second and third with one out in the sixth. Ronald Acuña Jr. caught Ben Rice’s line drive, and Holmes struck out Heliot Ramos to end the threat.
Fun fact: In 2016, Sale disliked Chicago’s throwback jerseys so much that he cut up the uniforms before a scheduled start and received a five-game suspension.
Michael Harris II drives in winner
Matt Olson opened the scoring with his 34th home run in the seventh inning. Trent Grisham tied the game with his 13th homer in the eighth, sending the finale into extra innings.
Michael Harris II delivered Atlanta’s winning hit in the 10th, singling up the middle to score pinch-runner Ha-Seong Kim. Tyler Kinley then retired the Yankees in order to earn his first save of the season.
Yankees take series 2-1
New York won the first two games before Atlanta salvaged the finale. The Yankees took Friday’s opener 3-2 in 10 innings and followed with a 5-4 victory Saturday at Yankee Stadium.
Atlanta’s 2-1 Sunday win made the final series result 2-1 for New York. The Friday and Sunday games reached extra innings, while Sale’s pregame ejection occurred before the finale on Sunday.
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Cole reached 1,000 Yankees strikeouts in his 139th game and after 837 2/3 innings. He reached the milestone by striking out Matt Olson with a 98.8 mph four-seam fastball to end the fifth.
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Was Chris Sale’s pregame ejection justified after the previous day’s balk dispute, or should officials have handled the lingering disagreement differently? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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