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2024 – No Twins game today. The Twins versus Guardians game at Target Field was postponed due to inclement weather and will be made up as part of a DH on August 9th. The Twins probably are happy with this postponment based on how bad their hitting has been so far this year.
2023 – The Home Opener albeit a day delayed due to inclement weather was played between the Minnesota Twins and the defending world champion Houston Astros at Target Field. A sellout crowd of 38,465 fans was on hand for some baseball after a long winter that saw record amounts of snow in Minnesota. It was a 3:10 PM start-time with the first pitch temperature at 47 degrees on a sunny afternoon. Sonny Gray had Home Opener honors for the Twins and Jose Urquidy performed the same feat for the Astros. Gray gave up the first run of the game to the Astros in the third inning and the Twins came back with a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth when back-to-back singles by Donovan Solano and Kyle Farmer caused the Astros manager Dusty Baker to replace Urquidy with Bryan Abreu. Nick Gordon grounded out forcing Farmer at second for the second out. A wild pitch to Christian Vazquez scored Solano and moved Gordon to second and Vazquez eventually walked but Abreu escaped further damage by retiring Michael A. Taylor for the final out. The seasons first home game was tied at 1-1 after 9 innings. With Jorge Lopez on the mound for the Twins, the “ghost runner” scored to put Houston up 2-1 but Lopez then retired th next two batters. The Twins bottom of the tenth started with Byron Buxton as the “Ghost Runner” on second. Astros reliever Ryan Stanek struck out Carlos Correa for the first out. With Trevor Larnach batting, a wild pitch moved Buxton to third. Larnach then walked putting runners at the corners. Jose Miranda then singled to right knotting the game at 2-2 when Buxton scored. A wild pitch to Solano moved up the runners to second and third so the Astros intentionally walked Solano to load the bases with one out. Kyle Farmer then singled to center scoring Larnach and giving the Twins a walk-off 3-2 home opening win. The last time Farmer had a walk-off hit was six years ago in his MLB debut. It was the fifth time the Twins have had a walk-off win in their home opener, their first since 2004. The time of the game was 2 hours and 47 minutes, the Twins fastest extra-inning game since May 28, 2011. Gray was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing one run on four hits in 7 innings pitched. Gray set a career-high with 13 strikeouts, fanning exactly half of the batters he faced (26). 13 strikeouts were also the most for a Twins starter since Francisco Liriano had 15 on July 13, 2012 vs. Oakland. The Twins out-hit Houston 11 to 5 but went 0 for 9 with RISP in the first nine innings. The sun shining between the mound and home made it tough to hit at times. Jose Miranda led the Twins with three hits and one RBI. Jorge Lopez got the win and Ryan Stanek took the loss. Box Score
2022 – Today’s scheduled Opening Day match-up between the Twins and Seattle Mariners at Target Field has been postponed to tomorrow, the club announced, due to forecasts of rain, snow and cold temperatures in the Twin Cities area. First pitch will remain at 3:10 p.m. CT (1:10 p.m. PT) on April 8. Fans holding tickets directly purchased from the Twins for Thursday’s originally scheduled game can use them for admission on Friday or exchange them for any future Twins regular season home game in 2022, subject to availability. All such exchanges must be made by Thursday at 3:10 p.m. CT.
Minnesota announced this morning the acquisition of right-handed starter Chris Paddack and right-handed reliever Emilio Pagan from the San Diego Padres in exchange for closer Taylor Rogers and first baseman/outfielder Brent Rooker. The Twins will also receive a player to be named later and will send cash to San Diego in the deal. That player turned out to be RHP Brayan Medina.
2021 – The Twins beat the Detroit Tigers in an afternoon road trip finale by a score of 3-2, winning their second series of the young season. Kenta Maeda (1-0) was the starter and winner, allowing two runs on seven hits in 6 innings pitched. Alex Colomé recorded his second save. The offense recorded seven hits, two from Kyle Garlick. Jorge Polanco gave the Twins the lead with a two RBI double in the sixth inning scoring Garlick from second and Cruz all the way from first base. The biggest plays of the game however; may have been in the bottom of the sixth inning when outfielders Jake Cave and Garlick threw out Tigers runners at the plate. The 4-2 Twins now head for home and open their home season at Target Field against the Seattle Mariners (3-3). Box Score
2020 – The game between the Twins and Cleveland Indians at Target Field has been postponed due to COVID-19. That makes 12 games missed thus far.
Major League Baseball issued the following statement this morning:
“MLB has been actively considering numerous contingency plans that would allow play to commence once the public health situation has improved to the point that it is safe to do so. While we have discussed the idea of staging games at one location as one potential option, we have not settled on that option or developed a detailed plan. While we continue to interact regularly with governmental and public health officials, we have not sought or received approval of any plan from federal, state and local officials, or the Players Association. The health and safety of our employees, players, fans and the public at large are paramount, and we are not ready at this time to endorse any particular format for staging games in light of the rapidly changing public health situation caused by the coronavirus.”
2019 – Twins starter Jose Berrios goes six innings and allows just 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out 7 but gives up a two-run home run to Rhys Hoskins in his last inning of work and it costs him the game as the Phillies beat the Twins at Citizens Bank Park 2-1. A lead-off home run by Max Kepler, the first of his career was all the offense the Twins could push across home plate even though they out-hit Philly 7 to 4. Marwin Gonzalez had two hits for Minnesota. Box Score
2018 – It was a sunny but cold and windy 27 degrees when Jose Berrios threw the first pitch at Target Field but that was as good as it would get for Twins fans as the Seattle Mariners scored six times in the last two innings and beat the Twins 11-4. Eddie Rosario and Joe Mauer each had two hits including a double but it was not nearly enough. This the coldest start to a Twins game at Target Field. Box Score
2015 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2014 – A disappointing Home Opener for the Twins as they lose to the Oakland A’s at Target Field by a score of 8-3 with a non-sellout crowd of 35,837 in attendance on a beautiful 58 degree day. The Twins had just 6 hits with no one having more than one. The three RBI came from the 6 thru 8 hitters. Twins starter Kevin Correia (0-1) allows 6 runs on 9 hits in 5.2 innings (97 pitches) and is tagged with the defeat. Scott Kazmir (2-0) picks up the win. The Twins are now 3-4 and in fourth place. Box Score
The Twins send minor league LHP Miguel Sulbaran to the Yankees in exchange for infielder Eduardo Nunez, who has 270 career games in New York. The Twins dealt for Sulbaran (Dodgers) last July 31, in exchange for catcher Drew Butera.
2011 – After playing in just 6 games (all on the road) after signing with the Minnesota Twins this past off-season, second baseman Tsuyoshi Nishioka suffers a broken fibula after a takeout slide by Yankee Nick Swisher at second base. Pretty much everyone agrees it was a clean play, but in Japan this is not the way it is done. The Yankees beat the Twins at Yankee Stadium III by a score of 4-3. Nishioka does not play for the Twins again until June 16th. Box Score
2005 – No game today, scheduled day off.
2003 – No game today. Twins versus New York Yankees game at Yankee Stadium was snowed out and rescheduled for the next day.
1990 – No game today. Due to the lockout by MLB, today’s game at the Metrodome versus the Seattle Mariners has been rescheduled for October 2.
1988 – No game today, the Twins versus Yankees game in New York was rained out and will be played as part of a double-header on August 5.
1987 – The Twins opened the 1987 season at home in the Metrodome wearing new uniforms, abandoning the pullover jerseys and elastic-band pants that looked like pajamas, and switching to traditional uniforms and a return to pinstripes against the Oakland Athletics. 43,548 fans were in the stands when Bert Blyleven took the mound against the A’s and their starter Curt Young. Oakland scored first on a Blyleven wild pitch with Jose Canseco at the plate in the first inning. The Twins came back with three in the bottom of the third inning on a two-run home run by Kirby Puckett and a RBI by Kent Hrbek. The A’s retook the lead with a run in the fourth and two in the fifth and were up 4-3 until the Twins knotted the game at 4-4 on another Hrbek RBI ground out. Blyleven was done after 8 inning and was replaced by George Frazier and the game remained tied going into extra innings. In the bottom of the tenth Steve Lombardozzi singled, Kirby Puckett doubled and Gary Gaetti was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs and the A’s were in a world of hurt cause Hrbek was coming to the plate. Hrbek delivered a walk-off single and the Twins were 5-4 winners in spite of going 2 for 12 with RISP. Frazier got the win and the Twins were on their way to a season that fans will never forget. Puckett had 3 hits including a home run and a double and two RBI and Hrbek had two hits and three RBI. Box Score.
April 7, 1987: Twins start championship season with extra-innings win over A’s by Stew Thornley
1974 – No game today, Twins versus Kansas City Royals game at Royals Stadium is rained out and rescheduled as part of a DH on August 7.
1972 – ON STRIKE – For the first time in history, the major leagues failed to open because of a player strike, which started on April 1. The Twins were scheduled for a day off today. One game missed due to the strike so far.
In spite of the strike the Twins trade pitcher Pete Hamm to the Reds for pitcher Greg Garrett. Garrett never pitched for the Twins but did pitch for Charlotte in 1972.
1970 – The Twins open their tenth season against the Chicago White Sox in White Sox park. Outfielder Brant Alyea, recently acquired in a trade with the Senators goes 4 for 4 with two 3-run home runs and 7 RBI to back Jim Perry who pitches a complete game as the Twins win their season opener 12-0 in White Sox Park. Alyea will have 21 RBI in his first 12 games, and in Perry’s first 4 starts Alyea will drive in 19 runs. The game went on for 2 hours and 51 minutes with a small crowd of 11,473 attending the game. The temp when the game started was 58 degrees. Box Score
