The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets embarked on a crucial three-game series on Tuesday night. Both teams are ensnared in a tight race for postseason berths, with the Mets currently holding a half-game lead on a wild-card spot and the Braves trailing just half a game behind. Every inning, every pitch is critical. And, as if the tension of a playoff race weren't enough, Mother Nature is throwing her own curveball into the mix.
Braves Take Series Opener
Atlanta secured the first win of the series on Tuesday, setting the tone and adding pressure on the Mets. New York, however, remains in a precarious but advantageous position: they can clinch a postseason berth by winning two out of the next three games. The Braves, by contrast, can't secure their spot with just this series.
Hurricane Helene Complicates Matters
Just as the series began, so did another formidable opponent—Hurricane Helene. Upgraded to a hurricane in the National Hurricane Center's 11 a.m. Wednesday update, Helene is anticipated to make landfall in Florida on Thursday as a Category 3 storm. "Life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, and flooding rains to a large portion of Florida and the southeastern United States," the National Hurricane Center warns.
The hurricane's trajectory has it barreling towards Georgia and potentially impacting the remaining games in the series. Heavy rain is forecasted to begin in Atlanta by 1 p.m. Wednesday, just in time to affect the second game of the series, and expected to persist through Friday. Thunderstorms and tornadoes are also possible, further muddying the outlook for the Braves and Mets.
Uncertainty in Scheduling
As the teams brace for uncertain weather conditions, the league has yet to make any adjustments to the series schedule. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza noted he had not received any word from MLB as of 5 p.m. Tuesday. For now, Thursday's game remains scheduled for a 7:20 p.m. ET start.
Given the forecast, changing the game time appears likely. MLB might move Thursday's game to an earlier time slot, 1 p.m. ET or even 12 p.m. ET, to avoid the worst of the storm. Another possibility is playing a doubleheader on Wednesday, a scenario made more feasible by Monday's off-day, which allows for some flexibility in pitching adjustments.
Options on the Table
Weather disruptions are hardly new to MLB. Entire series have been relocated due to severe weather in the past. Examples include the Astros vs. Cubs series in 2008, moved to Milwaukee's Miller Park due to Hurricane Ike, and the Rangers vs. Astros series in 2017, relocated to Tampa's Tropicana Field in response to Hurricane Harvey. Globe Life Field in Arlington stands out as a potential alternate site should relocation become necessary for the Braves and Mets.
However, relocating a series comes with its own complications and might not be the optimal solution. If the game were postponed to Monday, it would fall on the crucial off-day between the end of the regular season and the start of the Wild Card Series. This adjustment would only be made if the game holds significant weight in determining postseason qualification. Otherwise, both teams might end up playing a 161-game season instead of the standard 162. Moving the game to a neutral site or rescheduling it post-regular season remains a complex last resort.
Watching and Waiting
For now, the simplest and most efficient options are to either move Thursday's game up to earlier in the day or to schedule a doubleheader on Wednesday. The latter would grant both teams an opportunity to complete the series before the worst of Hurricane Helene arrives. With so much on the line in the final days of the regular season, both teams and the league will continue to monitor weather updates closely.
While the Braves are fortunate not to have to travel immediately after this series, the Mets face a potentially disruptive schedule. As MLB officials keep a close watch on Hurricane Helene's path, all eyes are on Atlanta's Truist Park and the looming storm that will undoubtedly make an already tense series even more challenging.