The Atlanta Braves have re-signed veteran outfielder Nick Markakis to a one-year, $4 million deal, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. Despite missing 46 games due to injury, Markakis, who turns 36 later this month, hit .285/.356/.420 with nine home runs, 62 RBI and an OPS of .776 last season. Markakis has been with Atlanta since the 2015 season.
The Braves had a $6 million club option on Markakis with a $2 million buyout. In the Markakis deal, the team exercised the buyout, giving Markakis a total of $6 million with his new deal while allowing only $4 million to count toward Atlanta's 2020 payroll.
It's identical to the action the Braves took on backup catcher Tyler Flowers, who the team also secured for the 2020 season, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman. Flowers, 33, hit .229/.319/.413 in 85 games last season. After the Braves were eliminated by the Cardinals in this year's NLDS, catcher Brian McCann announced his retirement.
With Markakis and Flowers set to rejoin Atlanta next season, the Braves shifted attention to third baseman Josh Donaldson and right-hander Julio Teheran. After signing Donaldson to a one-year, $23 million deal for the 2019 season, the Braves extended him a qualifying offer (one-year, $17.8 million). Meanwhile, they declined Teheran's $12 million option for next season.
