Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt goes on injured list with strained right hamstring

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt went on the injured list with a strained right hamstring on Sunday as the NL Central leaders deal with depth issues on the left side of their infield.

Pratt's injury comes while third baseman Joey Ortiz is dealing with issues to the scapular muscles in the upper part of his back.

Ortiz aggravated his scapular injury while swinging the bat in the second inning Saturday, causing him to exit a 4-3 victory two innings later. Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Pratt indicated his hamstring issue also cropped up on Saturday.

In other moves Sunday, the Brewers signed utilityman Jihwan Bae to a minor league contract and selected him to their active roster, and they designated left-handed pitcher Drew Rom for assignment.

The shortage of available players on the left side of the infield caused Andrew Vaughn to start at third base for just the second time in his career, and the first since 2021. Vaughn, who typically plays first base, appeared in six games at third base this year in a reserve role.

“He’s a baseball player, he’s done it before and we’re in an emergency situation,” Murphy said.

David Hamilton was penciled in as Milwaukee’s starting shortstop for the first time since June 9. Hamilton had been alternating between third base and shortstop earlier this season, but he’s been working primarily at third since Pratt got promoted to the big leagues in mid-June.

The Brewers’ injury issues on the left side of the infield aren’t limited to their major league roster. Jett Williams, who has been playing shortstop and third base for Triple-A Nashville, has wrist soreness and is going to Arizona to see a specialist.

Williams, rated by MLB Pipeline as baseball’s No. 76 overall prospect, came to the Brewers along with pitcher Brandon Sproat in the January trade that sent two-time All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets. Peralta has since been traded to the Tampa Bay Rays.

The addition of Bae could help the Brewers address these depth issues, though most of his experience has come in the outfield and at second. Bae played 163 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2022-25.

Rom was 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA in five appearances for Milwaukee this season.

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Milwaukee Brewers' Cooper Pratt runs after hitting a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Milwaukee Brewers' Cooper Pratt runs after hitting an RBI double during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt, top, throws to first base after forcing San Francisco Giants' Grant McCray, bottom, out at second base on a double play hit into by Drew Cavanaugh during the second inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Milwaukee Brewers' Cooper Pratt runs after hitting a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Milwaukee Brewers' Joey Ortiz hits an RBI single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)

NEW YORK (AP) — Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale was ejected by umpire Dan Merzel before a pitch was thrown in Sunday’s game against the New York Yankees, a day after being called for a balk that scored a run.

As umpires took the field and walked by the Braves' dugout on the third base side, Sale began barking. Merzel tossed him and Sale said something to crew chief Dan Bellino as the two talked near the dugout rail.

“I was by the bat rack because the game was about to start and I was getting my helmet,” center fielder Michael Harris II said after his 10th-inning single gave Atlanta a 2-1 win. “I didn’t see him talking to him, but I actually seen the motion of him throwing him out. I was kind of confused but then I saw Sale and remember what happened yesterday and I put two and two together."

Sale was called for his third career balk by Merzel during the fifth inning of Saturday’s 5-4 loss. Rookie Spencer Jones scored on the balk after getting an RBI triple and Sale began fiercely yelling at Merzel before manager Walt Weiss continued the argument and was ejected.

“I think he had some words for the umpire from yesterday, but you know what, it’s behind us," Weiss said. “Everyone had their say and we move on.”

Bellino told a pool reporter after Saturday's game that Sale was called for the balk because he did not declare he was going to pitch from the windup. Bellino said Sale declared he was pitching from the windup when he struck out José Caballero but did not do so ahead of the at-bat to Austin Wells.

It was Sale’s fourth career ejection. It was his first since Aug. 3, 2019, when he pitched for Boston and was tossed by Mike Estabrook for arguing balls and strikes during the fourth inning of a 9-2 loss at Yankee Stadium.

Sale allowed three runs and five hits in six innings Saturday for his first loss since June 28. In his third season with the Braves, the veteran left-hander is 12-7 with a 2.20 ERA in 21 starts.

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Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale, right, argues with home plate umpire Dan Merzel, second left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)