MLB Moves Several Games Due to Threat of Hurricane Hilary

(Photo : Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - A MLB logo is seen before a game between the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 22, 2022 in Anaheim, California.

The Major League Baseball (MLB) is taking the proper precautionary measures to ensure the safety of its fans with the looming threat of Hurricane Hilary in Southern California.

The league announced that it would move three of its games initially scheduled for Sunday, August 20, to a day earlier on Saturday, August 19. All three games would now be the earlier part of a split doubleheader.

The San Diego Padres' Sunday home game vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks has been rescheduled to Saturday at 12:10 PM Pacific Time.

The second game of the Padres-Diamondbacks split doubleheader will remain at 5:40 PM Pacific Time.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Angels' Sunday home game vs. the Tampa Bay Rays has been rescheduled to Saturday at 1:07 PM Pacific Time, and the second game of the Angels-Rays double split header will continue at 6:07 PM Pacific Time.

Lastly, the Los Angeles Dodgers' Sunday home game vs. the Miami Marlins will now be held on Saturday at 12:00 PM Pacific Time, with the second game of the split doubleheader at 6:10 PM Pacific Time.

According to the league, tickets for Sunday's rescheduled games are valid for the early afternoon games of Saturday's split doubleheaders, and Saturday's originally scheduled games remain intact.

Tampa Bay pitcher Zach Eflin shared that he didn't even know hurricanes were possible in Southern California.

"I didn't find that out until today. I just pray it will be a tropical storm by the time it hits the land here," the 29-year-old added.

Unprecedented storm bound for Southern California

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was very grateful that the league was proactive in its decision. He noted that it would be an inconvenience for some people with Sunday tickets, but the verdict did make sense to him.

The 51-year-old added that a hurricane in Southern California is unprecedented, and he just wants to ensure that people are safe as the storm passes.

Meanwhile, Angels manager Phil Nevin said he has lived in the area for 52 years but has never heard about something like this.

Part of Nevin is excited to see what goes on with such storms, but the more he reads and hears about it, the 52-year-old gets nervous.

According to the National Weather Service, no tropical storm has landed in Southern California since September 25, 1939.

According to CNN, Hurricane Hilary is classified as a Category 4 storm and was approximately 300 miles south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, as of Friday.

This is not the first time a storm affected the schedule of MLB games. Hurricane Laura caused a Los Angeles Angels vs. Houston Astros game to be postponed in August 2020.

On the other hand, a Miami Marlins vs. Chicago Cubs series was postponed due to Hurricane Frances in 2004.