The Braves outfield will have a decidedly different look to it going into the 2015 baseball season with the addition of former Baltimore Oriole Nick Markakis. According to published reports …
Outfielder Nick Markakis and the Atlanta Braves agreed on a four-year contract, major league sources told Yahoo Sports, ending the 31-year-old’s career-long association with the Baltimore Orioles and likely precipitating a further overhaul by Atlanta.
As negotiations with Baltimore lingered for weeks, the Braves stepped in with an aggressive pursuit of Markakis that paid off with a return to his native Georgia. Markakis is expected to hit leadoff and play right field for Atlanta, replacing Jason Heyward, whom the Braves traded to St. Louis in mid-November
Signing Markakis almost certainly will prompt the Braves to trade Justin Upton or Evan Gattis, their anticipated corner outfielders before Markakis’ signing.
The Braves were believed to be offering somewhere in the neighborhood of $44 million.
