Braves outfielder Nick Markakis has chosen not to play this season, manager Brian Snitker announced to reporters (Twitter link via Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Gabe Burns). By doing so, you will forfeit this year’s $ 4MM salary and the year of service time that you would have otherwise accrued.
Markakis himself tells reporters that there were multiple factors that ultimately led to his decision (Twitter links via Burns and Mark Bowman of MLB.com). Markakis says a conversation with Braves star Freddie Freeman, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week, was crucial. “That opened my eyes,” said Markakis. “It didn’t sound good.” Playing in the absence of fans was also a notable factor in his decision to stay out of the season.
The 36-year-old Markakis has spent the past five seasons with the Braves, serving as a veteran guide and mentor through a rebuild that has seen the Atlanta organization revert to perennial contender status in the NL East. Though no longer the elite outfielder he was in his prime, Snitker described Markakis this morning as “the backbone of our club,” a nod to the veteran’s influence and his position in the clubhouse.
Markakis has surely given a lot of thought to the decision, which comes just two days after Freeman, Will Smith, Touki Toussaint and Pete Kozma tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, teams across the league have been delayed in getting Major League Baseball test results, resulting in the cancellation of workouts for two teams thus far.
Although he will not play in 2020, Markakis added that he hopes this does not spell the end of his career (Twitter link via The Athletic’s David O’Brien). Playing in 2021 will be another decision for another day, and it will depend on the state of the pandemic and what the 2021 season will be like.
Markakis ‘absence from the Braves’ lineup will eliminate a consistently productive hitter from Atlanta’s outfield and the designated hitting rotation. The 2018 All-Star has hit .284 / .359 / .403 in his five years with Atlanta and would have shared outfield / DH duties in the corner, likely working in a loose platoon scenario with Adam Duvall. The Braves still have Marcell Ozuna, Ender Inciarte and wunderkind Ronald Acuna Jr. in the outfield picture, but the loss of Markakis still reduces their depth noticeably. Prospects Drew Waters and Cristian Pache loom on the horizon and, as a result, they could see accelerated paths to the big leagues.
Markakis joins David Price, Ryan Zimmerman, Joe Ross, Tyson Ross, Welington Castillo, Ian Desmond, Mike Leake and his brief teammate Felix Hernandez in opting out of the 2020 season amid public health concerns. (GG) (Taken Rumors MLB.Com)