ATLANTA - You know it's a wild day in baseball when the biggest fireworks happen before the National Anthem. That was the scene at Truist Park on Tuesday, August 11, as Braves ace Chris Sale got himself ejected from the game before throwing a single pitch. The culprit? A lingering grudge over a controversial balk call from the night before - and the resulting confrontation that Braves' Chris Sale ejected before game sees first pitch for yelling at umpire over Saturday balk call.
Here's the setup: On Saturday, with two outs in the 7th inning against the Marlins, Sale stepped off the rubber to adjust his glove. Home plate umpire Ryan Blakney saw it differently, calling a balk that awarded Marlins slugger Jake Burger first base. Sale was livid, needing catcher Sean Murphy to hold him back. The Braves still won that game 5 - 4, but Sale didn't let it go.
Flash forward to Tuesday's pre-game lineup exchange. Sale approached Blakney to, shall we say, discuss Saturday's call further. Under MLB's strict "pre-game confrontation" interpretation of Rule 8.01(d), that was all she wrote. Blakney tossed Sale instantly, and the Braves were left scrambling for a starting pitcher before the game even officially started.
📊 This is Sale's 3rd career ejection and 1st since 2019 - a 7-year gap that makes Tuesday's pre-game outburst even more shocking for a pitcher known for intensity, not indiscipline.
From Balk to Boom: How a Saturday Grudge Boiled Over on Sunday
The balk itself was the 14th called against Sale in his career. He had zero balks in 2024 and 2025 combined. So when Blakney rang him up on a glove adjustment with a 1 - 2 count on Burger, Sale's frustration wasn't just about the call - it was about the principle. The balk didn't score a run, but Sale insisted it altered the inning's momentum. He was still fuming 48 hours later.
The ejection was broadcast live on Bally Sports South, and MLB's replay command center in New York confirmed the decision within three minutes, according to MLB Network's report at 7:14 PM ET. That quick confirmation told you everything: this wasn't a judgment call on the field - it was a rulebook checkmate.
| Date | Opponent | Umpire | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | vs. Astros | Tim Timmons | Argued ball/strike calls |
| 2026 | vs. Marlins | Ryan Blakney | Balk dispute carryover |
| 2026 | Pre-game vs. Marlins | Ryan Blakney | Pre-game confrontation |
The Aftermath: Bullpen Chaos and a Snapped Winning Streak
The Replacement Plan: Dylan Dodd's Emergency Start
With Sale out, Atlanta had to pivot fast. Enter Dylan Dodd, called up from Gwinnett that morning. The rookie gave it his best shot, chewing up 4.1 innings and allowing just 2 runs on 4 hits. But the bullpen couldn't hold it together, and the Braves dropped a 6 - 3 decision to Miami, snapping their four-game winning streak.
The loss stings for a team clinging to a 2.5-game lead over the Phillies in the NL East. At 62 - 52, the Braves still control their own destiny, but losing your ace in the tunnel before a game isn't exactly the energy you want heading into a playoff push.
📊 Sale leads the Braves with 118 strikeouts in 103.1 innings - his 2.78 ERA and 0.98 WHIP put him in elite company, and any missed start could cost him precious Cy Young momentum.
