Chris Sale managed not get tossed during Saturday’s loss to the Yankees, even after he vigorously argued a balk call that led to the Yankees’ go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth.
On Sunday, the Atlanta lefty didn’t even make it to the first pitch of the game.
Sale was tossed just prior to Cam Schlittler throwing his first pitch against the Braves, still upset about Saturday’s controversial call, in which Dan Berzel, working behind home plate on Saturday, ruled Sale balked with Spencer Jones at third base and Austin Wells at the plate in the fifth.
Sale and Atlanta manager Walt Weiss argued the call for several minutes on Saturday with Merzel, who tossed Weiss.
On Sunday, as the umpire crew entered the field and walked by the visitors dugout near third base, Sale appeared to say something again at Merzel, the third base umpire in the series finale in The Bronx.
That led to Merzel ejecting Sale.
It came after Bellino told a pool reporter following Saturday’s game that Sale was called for the infraction because he didn’t declare he would pitch to Wells from the windup, as he did before he faced the previous batter, José Caballero.
“He is required by rule to make that declaration as a hybrid pitcher,” said crew chief Dan Bellino. “Your traditional pitcher that pitches from the traditional windup and traditional stretch does not have to make the declaration.”
