Seattle Mariners to Cease Partnership Agreement with Minor League Franchise
The 2024 season will be the last season in which the Modesto Nuts serve as the low-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners.
The Nuts, who have housed some of the M's best minor league prospects this year, put out a press release on Wednesday saying that the partnership is ending over the result of a stadium lease agreement.
The Seattle Mariners and the City of Modesto announced today that a mutual agreement on a long-term lease extension for the California League Modesto Nuts could not be reached. While both entities hoped for a more favorable outcome, the negotiations were unsuccessful, and the current lease agreement will expire on September 30, 2024. Due to the Lease expiration, the 2024 season will be the final season of the Nuts in Modesto at John Thurman Field.
While more information will likely come out, here is the situation as we understand it.
1) The Mariners are the sole owners of the Modesto Nuts, therefore they have total control. With the lease agreement for the stadium expiring, the franchise is essentially a free agent. The M's are then free to take the franchise to another place that has a suitable stadium/accomodations for the team.
2) Modesto is not necessarily done serving as a minor league affiliate forever. In the future, if a team also becomes a free agent, Modesto could be in play for that team to relocate. However, the stadium circumstances would have to be advantageous for that major league team as well. John Thurman Field opened in 1955.
The Nuts have servied as a minor league affiliate for the Mariners, Colorado Rockies, Oakland A's, St. Louis Cardinals, Kansas City A's, Houston Colt .45s, New York Yankees, Milwaukee Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Browns in its history. They've won 10 league titles, most recently in 2023 for the Mariners.
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