Then, of course, there’s the reality that the travel and other realities of the season could increase the odds that a player will contract the coronavirus. Markakis was the Orioles' first-round draft pick, seventh overall in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft. "I hate to see it the way it's going right now, but that's the way things have to be. "Just hearing him, the way he sounded on the phone, it was tough," Markakis said Monday. Scorpio Named Nick #12. Adam Jones. Snitker said Saturday that Smith and Toussaint have no symptoms, while Kozma also has a fever. "Honestly, yeah," Snitker said. “Freddie didn’t sound good.”. O’Brien also asked Markakis about the pay cut. His comments mirror those who sympathize first and foremost with billionaire team owners. Markakis, who has 2,355 career hits, slashed .285/.356/.420 with 25 doubles, nine homers and 62 RBIs in 116 games in 2019, his fifth season in Atlanta. 36 Year Olds. “I’m at the point of my career where I’m not chasing the money or any of that,” Markakis said. They are common arguments used to justify paying players less, giving them a smaller and smaller cut of the pie. The Braves outfielder explained his decision on Monday morning. I know he's been thinking long and hard about it. I play a kids’ game and get paid a lot of money. That was the 507th two-base hit of his career, giving him sole possession of 58th place all-time. “Someone else is going to get an opportunity.”. He said his decision was also influenced after he talked to Freeman and heard how sick he sounded this weekend. This is something Markakis thought of over the weekend, when he talked to Freeman, who tested positive on Friday. This game is about having fun, and having to go out there and play in an environment without fans, it's not baseball to me.". Earlier today, the Braves inked veteran outfielder Nick Markakis to a one-year deal worth $4 million with a club option for the 2020 season worth $6 million with a $2 million buyout. I asked them where they wanted Dad to be, and they all said Braves. "I'm not chasing any of that. Christina Markakis Meet pretty Christina Markakis; she is the wife of MLB player Nick Markakis, who plays for the Atlanta Braves. But after getting a taste of the game’s altered landscape and sharing a conversation with the recently ill Freddie Freeman, Markakis has elected not to play this year. I think I'll be fine these three weeks. Freeman, top setup man Will Smith, right-hander Touki Toussaint and infielder Pete Kozma tested positive for the coronavirus. David Wright. Maybe he was having fun not because he was surrounded by reporters, but by his three kids, Taylor, Tucker and Toby. Freeman battled a fever for nearly three days, but he has felt much better over the past two days. © 2020 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Owning a fastball that was clocked as high as 96 miles per hour, Markakis was widely viewed as a pitching prospect but the Orioles preferred his potential as a hitter. Miguel Cabrera. Born in Glen Cove, NY #5. “Hopefully, this isn’t the end of my road,” said Markakis, a 14-year veteran. The 35-year-old veteran mulled over his offers, but his kids decided for him when it came down to it. After nine seasons with Baltimore, Markakis was entering his sixth season with Atlanta. Atlanta Braves right fielder Nick Markakis announced Monday that he's opting out of playing the 2020 season. He said it wouldn't be fair to the players to provide more detailed daily updates. Don't miss out on one-of-a-kind Nick Markakis signed merchandise to show off your fandom. Nick Markakis just passed Babe Ruth on the all-time doubles list. Atlanta Braves outfielder Nick Markakis has opted out of the 2020 MLB season. "He's one of our backbones of our club. I’m definitely going to miss it this year.”. First Name Nick. If nothing else, he’d have given manager Brian Snitker a quality left-handed pinch-hit option. Markakis understands that MLB had no choice but to implement strict health and safety protocols to fight against the spread of COVID-19. Scorpio Baseball Player #24. First Name Nick. He was competing for a spot in a crowded Braves outfield after the offseason signing of Marcell Ozuna. I want to see how this year plays out," Markakis said. Once he receives clearance to return, he will join a club that no longer includes Markakis and Félix Hernández, who announced late Saturday night he had elected not to play this year. 36 Year Old Baseball Player #11. I hope baseball gets back to normal because we play a kid’s game. “When we have fans in the stands and there’s a competitive edge, this is the best game. This virus is real, and it's nothing to mess with.". The players have seen a smaller and smaller percentage of the money MLB makes since the beginning of the 2000’s. Markakis to opt out of MLB season after 'eye-opening' talk (1:53), Braves' Markakis opts out after Freeman talk, Passan: MLB's most wonderful 2020 playoffs moment? Scorpio Baseball Player #24. Scorpio Named Nick #12. The veteran outfielder was a candidate to draw some starts in left field or possibly be utilized as a designated hitter. Since debuting for the Orioles in 2006, Markakis has gotten used to a lifestyle that won’t exist this year. Because Markakis not only took a pay cut but defended it, front office members of the Braves as well as the 29 other teams can point to him and guilt or shame other players for asking for more money. The 36-year-old said he was uneasy about playing the season without fans and then was swayed by his telephone conversation with teammate Freddie Freeman, who has tested positive for the coronavirus and has a fever and other symptoms. Nick Markakis. You just hate to see it in this state of mind. Nick Markakis Fans Also Viewed . I think that was the biggest blow for me." I get it. He said talking to teammate Freddie Freeman, who has tested positive for the coronavirus, helped shape his decision. (1:53). Nick Markakis has opted out of this season after the Braves veteran outfielder had an "eye-opening" talk with teammate Freddie Freeman, who tested positive for COVID-19. Baseball Player. Markakis, who has three kids, has played the last five seasons with the Braves after opening his career with nine seasons on the Baltimore Orioles. Miguel Cabrera. Markakis became the second Braves player to opt out. Markakis hit .285 with nine homers and 62 RBIs in 2019, a year after he was an All-Star. Braves outfielder Nick Markakis says that his talk with teammate Freddie Freeman opened his eyes to the seriousness of the coronavirus. The traveling worries me more than anything, I think. When you lose a guy of that stature and what he brings and the player he is, it doesn't help you, that's for sure.". But after getting a taste of the game’s altered landscape and sharing a conversation with the recently ill Freddie Freeman, Markakis has elected not to play this year.The Braves outfielder explained his decision on Monday morning. Though Markakis is 35 years old, he’s coming off of a terrific season in which he played in all 162 games and hit .297/.366/.440 with 14 home runs and 93 RBI in 705 trips to the plate. The Associated Press contributed to this report. I think the decision that I'm making to sit out this year and be with my family makes it tough, but I think that's the right decision for myself and my family.". Markakis also said he didn't like the idea of playing without fans in the stands. “Nick’s stats are as good as yours, so why should you make more money than him?”, Contrast Markakis’s approach with Yasmani Grandal‘s. Snitker said Monday that the four continue to progress through protocols. With Markakis out of the picture, the Braves will need to assess how to account for one less left-handed hitter on their roster. Grandal reportedly turned down a four-year, $60 million contract offer from the Mets early in the offseason and settled for a one-year, $18.25 million contract with the Brewers. Players who have a condition that makes them high risk can opt out for the season and still draw their full prorated salary.