The Mets face challenging rotation questions after the postponements

ATLANTA — Carlos Mendoza recalled the hectic 10-game, 10-day road trip in August that included a one-day trip to St. Louis and tried to shrug off the odd weekend-plus that awaited the Mets.

“We’ve been through a lot this year, and this is nothing new for us,” the Mets manager said, sending an unapologetic message that wasn’t entirely true.

This is new.

“It’s going to be different, that’s for sure,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

Wednesday and Thursday’s Mets-Braves games were washed out, Wednesday’s due to steady rain and Thursday’s because Hurricane Helene will wreak havoc in Georgia.

The conclusion of the most significant series of the season will be pushed back — likely — until Monday, one day after the rest of the MLB season ends and one day before the postseason begins.

As of now, a traditional doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1:10 p.m. on Monday at Truist Park.

After 18 innings of play, a team may fly to Los Angeles, San Diego or Milwaukee to begin a three-game playoff series the next day.

It’s also possible that one or both games won’t be played at all: If the Diamondbacks, who entered Wednesday’s game holding the third and final wild-card spot — a half-game ahead of the Braves, a half-game behind Mets backs – are eliminated this weekend, it would be up to the commissioner whether to continue with Monday games for assignment purposes.

The Mets were scheduled to leave Atlanta Thursday morning before the hurricane arrived and head to Milwaukee for three games.

Sean Manaea was expected to start Friday, which would set up the club’s ace likely for Game 2 of a wild-card series, but he will not start what could be must-win games against Atlanta.

If the Mets were to go after David Peterson — who was slated to start Wednesday’s game — Peterson would be in for Game 3.

In play for Sunday and potentially two games Monday would be Jose Quintana, Luis Severino and Tylor Megill.

“We’ll see how the weekend plays out,” said Mendoza, who for the first time in over a week penciled in Francisco Lindor at shortstop before the game was pushed back. “It could be beneficial. A few guys need an extra day or two. Your pendulum will be a little fresher.

“But then you had three games in Milwaukee and then possibly two here in one day. I can see good and evil.”

How about flying from Milwaukee to Atlanta, having a marathon day of baseball, and then rushing to the West Coast for a playoff series that starts the next day?

“If we’re playing a playoff game,” Mendoza said, “that’s a good thing.”

There could be more end-of-season wrinkles to come.

While the Mets were poised to escape the Southeast, the Braves plan to open a home series against the Royals on Friday, and the city expects to soak up what one forecaster estimated at 6-10 inches of rain over the next few days.

Winds of 70-80 mph are expected to persist over the rain.

FOX 5 Atlanta’s Jeff Hill said it would be “pretty hard” to imagine the Mets and Braves playing two games Monday after a city with lots of tall pine trees and lots of overhead power lines is devastated .

And yet, the Braves should squeeze in three games this weekend.

“I hope the Royals can get here,” said Snitker, who was going to huddle with his staff to figure out his own pitching plans.

Snitker would not confirm that Chris Sale – his club’s ace who was due to start on Wednesday – would get the ball on Friday.

The club could see a positive in giving the left-hander, whose velocity was down in his last outing, a few days of extra rest and positioning him for a playoff run.

Of course, a Friday start would knock him out for Monday’s doubleheader.

“We’re out there, talking about all these scenarios,” Snitker said. “We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves because we have to win these games (against the Royals) to get in.”

Another potential upside for the Braves would be the ability to get back Spencer Schwellenbach, who silenced them on Tuesday, for Monday’s doubleheader and throw the righty twice in a three-game streak.

Snitker also saw a potential upside for the Mets: His team was feeling good about itself and now needs to cool down.

“I really liked where I was when I left here (Tuesday),” Snitker said. “I said finally … we’re getting the right guys, we’re getting some momentum, the flow is going really well. I was like, ‘Man, I wanted to keep going with this team until the weekend.’ “

In contrast, a freak season will first take a break and then probably grow a bit more.