MLB discusses plans for New York Mets-Atlanta Braves series with Hurricane Ian looming

Major League Baseball is considering contingency plans for this weekend's crucial series in Atlanta between the Mets and Braves as Hurricane Ian bears down on Florida's Gulf Coast.

The rapidly intensifying hurricane was scheduled to make landfall Wednesday morning in Florida, while parts of Georgia are expected to see flooding rains and some coastal surge into Saturday. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has preemptively declared an emergency, ordering 500 National Guard troops onto standby to respond as needed.

With the pivotal three-game series slated to start Friday at Truist Park, the National League East rivals and MLB have discussed several options, according to multiple reports, including a split doubleheader on Sunday.

The teams have a mutual day off Thursday, but MLB is not considering starting the series a day early, according to MLB.com. Relocating the games to a neutral site also was not a serious consideration as of Wednesday morning, according to MLB.com.

Mets manager Buck Showalter joked that he is on «double-secret probation» when asked to disclose details about the talks but told reporters that «we know what's going on,» and noted that general manager Billy Eppler was leading the Mets' involvement in the talks.

«I don't get involved in it,» Showalter said. "(Eppler) is great at keeping me up to speed on it and what I need to know and what I don't need to know. I'm perfectly comfortable that he's got all this wired. I've got enough spinning my head."

The hurricane gained strength off Florida's southwest coast Wednesday morning with top winds of 155 mph, just shy of the most dangerous Category 5 status. Damaging winds and rain lashed the heavily populated Gulf Coast, with the Naples to Sarasota region at «highest