Nationals take on faraway Fresno as Triple-A affiliate

MIAMI (AP) - Players joining the Washington Nationals from their Triple-A affiliate will have to take some redeye flights the next two seasons.

The Nationals announced Tuesday that they’ve signed a two-year player-development contract with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League.

Fresno replaces Syracuse as the Nationals’ Triple-A club. Syracuse signed a deal with the New York Mets, who bought the minor league club earlier in the season.

Several other major league clubs have shuffled their Triple-A affiliates, and on Tuesday the Texas Rangers reached a deal with Nashville, leaving Fresno as the Nationals’ best option.

Fresno becomes the Nationals’ fourth Triple-A affiliate since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005. The Grizzlies were previously part of the San Francisco Giants’ and Houston Astros’ farm systems.

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