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Nick Markakis Heating Up for Atlanta Braves

By Jonathan Savitske

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Atlanta Braves’ right-fielder Nick Markakis signed a 4 year, $44 million deal with the team last winter.

His signing followed the trade of beloved right-fielder and home-town hero Jason Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals for Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins. When Markakis was signed, pundits and fans alike scratched their collective heads at the move, wondering why the Braves had invested so heavily in a 31-year-old outfielder who required neck surgery in the offseason.

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After undergoing surgery, Nick Markakis missed most of Spring Training, but was a part of the the Atlanta Braves Opening Day lineup. Throughout the season, Markakis has been solid enough to soften the blow of missing Heyward, but has lacked the requisite power to full defray the loss of the former Braves’ right-fielder.

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Nick Markakis’s average has hovered around the .290 to .300 for the entirety of the year, having a consistent on-base-percentage but lacking the ability to frequently manufacture runs. While this is all well and good on a team that is emphasizing making consistent contact with the ball at the plate, a lack of slugging on the part of Nick Markakis has diminished his effect on the Atlanta Braves’ lineup.

All that has changed over the past two weeks for Nick  Markakis and the Braves as he has had his best stretch of the season while notching his first two home-runs of the year. During this torrid stretch for Nick Markakis, he has hit .361 with 2 home-runs and has a season-long hitting streak at 14 games — which is currently the longest-streak of its kind in the majors, trailing only the Mariner’s Nelson Cruz who possesses a 16 gamer. During the last week, Nick Markakis has hit .407 and has been an integral part in the Braves’ offense.

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Though the signing of Nick Markakis was polarizing and alienated many fans after the departure of Heyward, the Braves’ outfielder is making a mark on this young and re-tooling club. Markakis has become an outspoken leader in the clubhouse, along with fellow veteran A.J. Pierzynski.

Nick Markakis’s leadership has been an integral part of the development of the young Atlanta Braves thus far in 2015, and figures to continue to assist the team’s development in 2016 and beyond. Markakis’s solid defense has also been key during a season in which the Atlanta Braves exceeding preseason expectations.

In Friday night’s game against the Miami Marlins, Nick Markakis notched 3 more hits and 2 RBI’s — including a crucial hit in the 7th inning — to help the Braves defeat the Miami Marlins and raise his batting average to .299. He may not be Jason Heyward, and he may not be flashy, but Nick Markakis has become a vital part of the Braves lineup — both now and in the future.

Next: Atlanta Braves Challenge Marlins, Win 6-3

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