MLB Ejection 125 - Ryan Blakney (2; Alex Cora)

HP Umpire Ryan Blakney ejected Red Sox manager Alex Cora (balk no-call on Hunter Brown; QOCY) in the top of the 7th inning of the #RedSox-#Astros game. With two out and one on, Red Sox batter Romy Gonzalez took two pitches from Astros pitcher Brown, ruled ball one and strike one. Boston contended that Brown balked because he failed to declare his switch from Windup Position during the first pitch of the at-bat to Set Position for the second pitch of the at-bat. By rule, a pitcher needn't declare use of Set Position with a runner on the base—it is not a balk—the call was correct.* At the time of the ejection, the Astros were leading, 2-1. The Astros ultimately won the contest, 4-1.

This is Ryan Blakney (36)'s 2nd ejection of 2025.

*Official Baseball Rule 5.07(a): "There are two legal pitching positions, the Windup Position and the Set Position, and either position may be used at any time."

OBR 5.07(a)(2) Comment: "With a runner or runners on base, a pitcher will be presumed to be pitching from the Set Position if they stand with their pivot foot in contact with and parallel to the pitcher’s plate, and their other foot in front of the pitcher’s plate, unless they notify the umpire that they will be pitching from the Windup Position under such circumstances prior to the beginning of an at-bat."

This is the 125th ejection report of the 2025 MLB regular season.

This is the 66th manager ejection of 2025. Ejection Tally: 66 Managers, 21 Coaches, 38 Players.

This is Boston's 7th ejection of 2025, 1st in the AL East (NYY 11; BOS 7; TOR 6; BAL 5; TB 3).

This is Alex Cora's 1st ejection since June 23, 2025 (Alan Porter; QOC = N [Obstruction]).

This is Ryan Blakney's 2nd ejection of 2025, 1st since June 21 (Lawrence Butler; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

Box: Boston Red Sox vs Houston Astros, 8/13/25 | Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Cora ejected arguing uncalled balk due to misunderstanding of notification rule