Braves re-sign Nick Markakis to one-year deal, per report

Nick Markakis is returning to the Atlanta Braves. He has agreed to a one-year deal worth $6M guaranteed, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

It’s a one-year deal, but includes a club option for 2020. The 35-year old gets a $4M salary in 2019, plus a $6M salary in 2020 if the Braves exercise his option. If not, they will still owe him $2M.

Markakis was a first-round selection of the Baltimore Orioles back in 2003, and he stayed with the organization through 2014 before inking a deal with Atlanta prior to the 2015 season. He was selected to his first All-Star game in 2018, while also playing in every single one of his team’s 162 regular season games.

In 2018, he slashed .297/.366/.440 with 93 runs batted in on 185 hits and 14 homers, making it his best year in Atlanta. He picked up 82 strikeouts and 72 walks, while stealing one base on just one attempt.

If Markakis can continue to produce in 2019, some of the milestones he may be able to reach include 500 doubles (currently 474), 1000 runs batted in (currently 969), 9,000 plate appearances (currently 8,711), and 8,000 at bats (currently 7,758).

This past season, Markakis also won his third career Gold Glove award after winning two in Baltimore. He also earned his first ever Silver Slugger honors, while finishing 18th in the MVP race.

Markakis had a terrific 2018 season and he looks to replicate that as he returns for his fifth straight season in Atlanta, and his fourteenth in the majors.