Relocation

Relocation is the most extreme of actions performed by the owners of a franchise, and one of the most distasteful to its fans. It entails moving one franchise from a city in which it is receiving poor fan support to one where it is hoped it will do better. It has happened 13 times to currently existing Major League Baseball franchises.

The Braves, Orioles and Athletics have all had three different home cities. Milwaukee, New York City, and Washington, DC have each been involved in three of these moves, while Baltimore has figured in two of the moves.

The only city to not presently have a team returned to it is Montreal.

Following the 2005 season, the Florida Marlins announced they would explore the possibility of relocation if the team did not get a new stadium in the Miami area. This speculation was ended with the promise of a new stadium being built.

List of franchises who have relocated in their history

• New York Yankees: 1903 - present
  • Relocated from: Baltimore, MD 1901 - 1902

• Baltimore Orioles: 1954 - present
  • Relocated from: St. Louis, MO 1902 - 1953
  • Relocated from: Milwaukee, WI 1901

• Los Angeles Dodgers: 1958 - present
  • Relocated from: Brooklyn, NY 1884 - 1957

• San Francisco Giants: 1958 - present
  • Relocated from: New York, NY 1883 - 1957

• Minnesota Twins: 1961 - present
  • Relocated from: Washington, DC 1901 - 1960

• Atlanta Braves: 1966 - present
  • Relocated from: Milwaukee, WI 1953 - 1965
  • Relocated from: Boston, MA 1876 - 1952

• Oakland Athletics: 1968 - present
  • Relocated from: Kansas City, MO 1955 - 1967
  • Relocated from: Philadelphia, PA 1901 - 1954

• Milwaukee Brewers: 1970 - present
  • Relocated from: Seattle, WA 1969

• Texas Rangers: 1972 - present
  • Relocated from: Washington, DC 1961 - 1971

• Washington Nationals: 2005 - present
  • Relocated from: Montreal, QC 1969 - 2004

Further Reading

• Frank P. Jozsa, Jr.: Major League Baseball Expansions and Relocations: A History, 1876-2008, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2010.