The Atlanta Braves have agreed to terms with outfielder Nick Markakis on a four-year contract worth a reported $44 million per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports and confirmed by Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun.
Nick Markakis, Braves agree to 4-year, $44 million deal
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Markakis, 31, hit .276/.342/.386 with 14 home runs, 27 doubles and 62 walks in 155 games. He has been a fixture in right field for the Orioles for nine seasons, averaging 35 doubles, 16 home runs and 152 games per season from 2006-2014.
The left-hander made $15 million in 2014 in the final season of a six-year contract. Baltimore declined its $17.5 million club option for 2015 for Markakis on Oct. 31, instead paying the longest-tenured Oriole a $2 million buyout.
The Braves have been active this winter with their entire outfield, long rumored to be shopping both Justin Upton, who will be a free agent after 2015, and his brother B.J. Upton, who has three years and $46.35 million left on his onerous contract. Atlanta on Nov. 17 traded right fielder Jason Heyward, a free agent after 2015, to the Cardinals in a four-player deal that brought starting pitcher Shelby Miller to the Braves.
This is a homecoming of sorts for Markakis, who went to high school in nearby Woodstock, Ga., and played college ball at Young Harris College, the latter just two hours away from Turner Field.
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