Markakises have son, outfielder joins O's for game
BALTIMORE -- Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis and his wife, Christina, welcomed their third child, a boy named Toby, on Wednesday afternoon after inducing labor in the early-morning hours.
"Everything seems to be fine," manager Buck Showalter said. "I can tell how tired Nicky was, because he texted 7 pounds and 16 ounces. That is 8 pounds, right? That's a big boy."
Markakis was waiting for his sister-in-law to arrive before leaving the hospital and was expected at Camden Yards prior to the Orioles' game against the Yankees. Despite being at the hospital at 4.a.m. ET, Showalter expected Markakis to try to talk his way into the starting lineup.
"I'm sure he'll walk in and try to plead his case, " said Showalter, who went with Michael Morse in the starting lineup in Markakis' place.
Markakis entered the day batting .271 in 142 games and was 3-for-7 with a double, run scored and two RBIs over his past two games, an encouraging sign given his prolonged slump this season.