page_title: Nate McLouth
section_title: Atlanta Braves
hierarchical_section_title: Nate McLouth / Professional career / Atlanta Braves
caption_attribution_description: Nate McLouth
context_page_description: Nathan Richard McLouth is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He has played in Major League Baseball for the Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals. He was primarily a center fielder.
context_section_description: After playing 45 games with the Pirates to start the 2009 season, McLouth was traded to the Atlanta Braves for prospects Jeff Locke, Charlie Morton and Gorkys Hernández on June 3, 2009. McLouth, who wore the number 13 while playing for the 2009 Pirates, retained the number for the Braves in 2009. On December 2, 2009 McLouth forfeited his jersey number to new teammate Billy Wagner. Wagner had worn the number 13 since his Major League debut in 1995. McLouth accordingly switched his number to 24, previously worn on the Braves roster by Jordan Schafer. He returned to wearing number 13 for the 2011 season after Wagner retired following the 2010 season.
  After joining the club, McLouth played 84 games for the Braves in 2009. His performance for the Braves consisted of a .257 batting average, 11 home runs, and 36 runs batted in. The 2010 season proved to be one of the worst seasons offensively for McLouth. One highlight occurred on June 5, when McLouth collected his 500th Major League hit. McLouth suffered a toe injury and missed a game on June 7 after colliding with the outfield wall at Dodger Stadium. Four days later, he was placed on the disabled list after reporting concussion-like symptoms as a result of a collision with right fielder Jason Heyward. After returning from the injury in July, McLouth faced a horrible slump that warranted him being demoted to the Gwinnett Braves, the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Showing improvement, McLouth was recalled to the Majors on August 31. In his first twelve games after returning, McLouth hit for a .367 batting average, a drastic improvement over the rest of the season. As a result, he made a short-term return to the starting lineup. Nearer the end of the season, McLouth began to struggle again. Despite the rocky season, McLouth made the Braves playoff roster, and was projected to start in left field against the San Francisco Giants in the National League Division Series. However, Matt Diaz started game one in his place.
  McLouth spent much of the 2011 season on the disabled list. Feeling significant discomfort in his left oblique, McLouth was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 23 and replaced on the roster by Jordan Schafer. He remained on the disabled list until June 19. McLouth hit a solo home run on July 17 in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals to tie the game at eight. McLouth was again placed on the disabled list on July 29 for a lower abdominal strain. On August 5, it was revealed that McLouth had a sports hernia and would be out at least six weeks. He would not make another Major League appearance on the season. McLouth exited the 2011 season as a free agent. On October 31, the Braves declined the option on McLouth, effectively ending his stint with the Braves. In parts of three seasons in Atlanta, McLouth hit .229 with 44 doubles, 21 home runs, and 76 RBIs in 250 games.
caption: McLouth with the Atlanta Braves in 2009
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