MLB Ejections 090-1 - Dan Merzel (x2; Weiss & Chris Sale)

Umpire Dan Merzel ejected Braves manager Walt Weiss and pitcher Chris Sale (balk call; QOCY) in the bottom of the 5th inning of the #Braves-#Yankees game. With one out and one on, and Austin Wells at bat, HP Umpire Merzel called Sale for a balk for stepping, as in Windup Position, while standing in Set Position, without notifying the umpire his intent to pitch from the Windup Position while in Hybrid stance.* Replays indicate Sale lifted his free foot and returned it to the ground, which, with runner(s), is a start-stop balk, the call was correct. At the time of the ejection, the Yankees were leading, 3-2. The Yankees ultimately won the contest, 5-4.

The next day, 3B Umpire Merzel ejected Sale prior to the plate meeting as the umpires entered the playing field for continuing to argue the balk from the night before. The call is similarly correct. At the time of the ejection, the game had not started yet.

These are Dan Merzel (3)'s 4th and 5th ejections of 2026.

*Official Baseball Rule 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."

These are the 90th and 91st ejection reports of the 2026 MLB regular season.

This is the 50th manager ejection of 2026.

This is the 22nd player ejection of 2026. Ejection Tally: 50 Managers, 19 Coaches, 22 Players.

This is Atlanta's 2/3rd ejection of 2026, 2nd in the NL East (PHI 4; ATL, MIA 3; NYM, WAS 2).

This is Walt Weiss' 1st ejection since Sept 22, 2016 (Alfonso Marquez; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).

This is Chris Sale's 1st ejection since August 3, 2019 (Mike Estabrook; QOC = N [Balls/Strikes]).

This is Dan Merzel's 4/5th ejection of 2026, 1st since June 19 (Mark Kotsay; QOC = Y [Balls/Strikes]).

Wrap: Atlanta Braves vs New York Yankees, 8/8/26

Wrap: Atlanta Braves vs New York Yankees, 8/9/26 | Video as follows:
Alternate Link: Sale start-stop balks for failure to declare Windup, leading to two ejections over two days