Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale was removed from Sunday's game against the New York Yankees before the first pitch was thrown. Umpire Dan Merzel ejected Sale from the field during the pre-game period. The incident is linked to a controversial balk call made against Sale during Saturday's game, which resulted in a run scoring for the Yankees.

While the specific exchange between Sale and the officiating crew has not been fully detailed, reports indicate that Sale remained visibly frustrated regarding the Saturday ruling leading up to Sunday's contest. The ejection effectively removed the Braves' ace from the game before he had an opportunity to take the mound. Major League Baseball has not yet issued a formal statement regarding potential fines or further disciplinary action stemming from the pre-game confrontation. The Braves organization has also remained quiet on the specifics of the interaction between their pitcher and the umpire crew.