In a dramatic turn of events, Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale was ejected before the commencement of Sunday's game against the New York Yankees. This incident followed an altercation between Sale and umpire Dan Merzel, who had called Sale for a balk the previous day during the fifth inning, resulting in a run scored by rookie Spencer Jones. The confrontation occurred when Sale was near the bat rack as the game was about to start, and he began arguing with Merzel. Center fielder Michael Harris II, who secured a 10th-inning single to give Atlanta a 2-1 win, witnessed the ejection but did not see Sale's initial interaction with the umpire. The balk call on Saturday was made due to Sale failing to declare his intention to pitch from the windup before striking out José Caballero, a violation that had also resulted in Sale's fourth career ejection. This ejection marks Sale's first since August 2019 when he was playing for Boston and was dismissed by umpire Mike Estabrook for arguing balls and strikes during the fourth inning of a game at Yankee Stadium. Despite this incident, Sale has maintained a strong performance for the Braves this season, boasting a 12-7 record with a 2.20 ERA in 21 starts.