PEORIA, Ariz. — Wednesday in Arizona started like a March day in Seattle. With rainstorms carrying into the morning and expected to continue over the next few days, the Mariners decided early to scuttle their on-field workouts for the day.

But any disappointment for fans hoping to watch those canceled activities paled in comparison to what came later that morning, when Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced what had been reported late Tuesday evening — a restriction on a social gatherings of more than 250 people. That ban included all sporting events.

For the Mariners, it meant their opening homestand of the 2020 season, which was scheduled to start on Major League Baseball’s Opening Day on March 26 and conclude on April 1, featuring a four-game series with the Texas Rangers followed by a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins, was now in serious doubt.

Inslee’s decision did not catch the Mariners by a surprise. The organization had prepared for this as a logical step in the city and state’s fight against the pandemic.

The organization immediately released this statement following Inslee’s news conference:

“Following Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s announcement this morning that he is banning large group events through March, the Seattle Mariners are working with the Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner on alternative plans for our games that were scheduled for the end of March at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

While we hope to be back to playing baseball in Seattle as soon as possible, the health and safety of our community is the most important consideration. We will provide more information about our plans for the games as it becomes available.

Season Ticket Members, Suite Holders and Group Buyers will automatically receive a credit for tickets to unplayed games. The credit will be applied by March 19 and may be used to purchase tickets for any other 2020 regular season home game.

Single-game ticket holders who purchased tickets directly through the Seattle Mariners will be automatically refunded to the credit card, debit card, gift card or other method of payment used to make your purchase. Additional details will be communicated directly to purchasers via email by March 14.”

Multiple MLB sources indicated the Mariners and MLB have been in consistent discussion for more than 10 days about the escalating situation in Seattle. The two groups had been in consultation with multiple organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on the matter.

As part of those discussions, several contingency plans were discussed and debated if/when it became impossible to have a normal Opening Day scenario at T-Mobile Park.

There have been multiple options discussed, all of them having serious drawbacks and issues. The least likely of the options seems to be playing at an empty stadium in Seattle. That option also seems to be ruled out, based on a statement from the Texas Rangers that mentioned relocation of the games.

The Rangers’ statement read: “With today’s announcement by Washington Governor Jay Inslee that will necessitate the relocation of the Seattle Mariners opening series with the Rangers from March 26-29, we will be working with Major League Baseball and the Mariners on alternate plans for the scheduling of these games. We will provide more information about the plans for this series as it becomes available.”

The idea of flying players into Seattle to play games would likely be an issue for the MLB players’ union. In terms of safety for players and their families, traveling to Seattle and playing games over three to four days may have been met with resistance by players.

Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos told The Associated Press that he would be “a little bit” concerned about the health risk of going to Seattle.

That leaves two other options: play the games on the road or remain in Arizona to play the games.

Sources indicate the Mariners would not prefer to travel to Texas and Minnesota to play the games. There is also a concern that Globe Life Field — the Rangers’ new stadium — won’t be ready to host regulation MLB games by March 26 despite hosting exhibition games in the days before. The Mariners also would prefer to avoid traveling to Minneapolis in early April — a threat of inclement weather could already snarl an undesirable situation.

The best and mostly likely option is for Seattle to remain in Arizona and play at least the opening series against the Rangers, who train just down the road in Surprise.

This would avoid sending either team to Seattle or have any travel beyond a bus ride. But the best venue to do this — Chase Field — isn’t available. The Diamondbacks open the season at home for seven games over the same span. Playing two games per day at Chase Field could provide a slew of logistical challenges. Still, sources indicate MLB isn’t thrilled with the idea of regular-season games being played at spring training facilities. But that may still be the best option.