Everything here is always handled on a case-by-case basis, but there are certain free-agent contracts that get signed that just don’t rise to the threshold where we feel like it’s worthy of a post. Martin Perez recently signed one of those contracts with the Twins. Wilmer Flores recently signed one of those contracts with the Diamondbacks. Jordy Mercer signed one of those contracts with the Tigers. Matt Adams signed one of those contracts with the Nationals. Editorially, some moves have it, and some moves don’t. You sort of know them when you see them.

Interestingly enough, Nick Markakis has now signed one of those contracts with the Braves. Or, you’d think so, based on the terms — Markakis will make $4 million in 2019, and then there’s a $6-million club option for 2020, with a $2-million buyout. This is in that money range where we frequently ignore the transaction. But Markakis is again going to be a regular player. And he’s also coming off a year in which he made the All-Star Game for the first time in his 13-season career. It’s almost impossible to suggest the Braves aren’t getting a team-friendly deal. Markakis was evidently willing to take a discount. This just isn’t the impact move Braves fans have been looking for. It’s re-signing a 35-year-old Nick Markakis.

Markakis’ age didn’t work in his favor as a free agent. Neither did his modest power, nor his second-half decline. It always made sense that both parties might circle back, given their mutual familiarity. The Braves had a gaping hole in the outfield. They had hoped that Adam Duvall might take over in a corner, but nothing he did in 2018 went in a positive direction. They ultimately settled on Markakis, and Markakis ultimately settled on a return. He’s not going to start 162 games again, but he’ll probably come awfully close.

I don’t think it’s fair to focus on a bad second half without spending equal time focusing on a strong first half. Markakis was, overall, a good baseball player. By our calculations, he was worth 2.6 WAR. He’d been worth 3.1 WAR the previous three seasons combined. A repeat year is unlikely, but at least the Braves know the profile will remain unchanged. Markakis is one of the game’s more consistent contact hitters. He just ranked in the 77th percentile in expected wOBA, and over the past three years, he ranks in the 64th percentile in the same stat. He’s a fine hitter with limited upside beyond. He’s still a capable, if unspectacular, defender on the grass. There’s not that much necessarily separating Nick Markakis and Michael Brantley, and Brantley got $32 million from the Astros.

What Markakis doesn’t offer is star potential. He’s going to be a steady, line-drive hitter, who’ll probably experience age-related decline. Markakis plugs a hole, but he doesn’t turn right field into a strength. Braves fans are eager for a new strength, given what’s going on in their division. At least this shouldn’t close many doors.

I’ll also say that perhaps the Braves made their splash when they landed Josh Donaldson. Donaldson is, of course, a risk to get injured, but according to our Steamer/600 projections, he’s baseball’s 15th-best position player, at 4.4 projected WAR. Manny Machado‘s at 4.8. Bryce Harper’s at 4.7. Donaldson is sandwiched between Carlos Correa and Aaron Judge. He could end up being one of the most significant moves of the winter. Just because it happened a while ago doesn’t mean it isn’t still relevant.

Yet the Braves still have work to do. Markakis is one cheap answer to one question. The team payroll, though, is still a little below where it was entering the last two seasons. What this move doesn’t affect is any Braves pursuit of J.T. Realmuto. It probably makes it a little more likely the Braves pursue a reunion with Craig Kimbrel. And/or they could decide to target a starter. Re-signing Markakis isn’t the sexiest move the Braves could’ve made, but you can’t make a splash with every decision. All this effectively does is rule out Harper and A.J. Pollock.

Sometimes the easy answer is the boring answer, and sometimes the boring answer is right enough to submit. This is one thing the Braves can cross off their to-do list. That list is by no means completed.