(click on images once or twice to make them larger)
2024 – The Twins beat the Royals in an afternoon game at Kauffman Stadium by a score of 5-1, scoring all five runs in the eighth and ninth innings, including a four-run ninth. Joe Ryan was the starter but did not factor into the decision, allowing one run on three hits in 5.1 innings pitched, with one walk while striking out five. Griffin Jax (1-0) earned the win with a scoreless eighth and Brock Stewart pitched a scoreless ninth. The offense recorded seven hits, highlighted by Byron Buxton, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, driving in the tying run with an eighth-inning double and driving in two insurance tallies with a ninth-inning double. Christian Vazquez had a nice game too throwing out Bobby Witt Jr. as he attempted to steal second in the eighth inning and then he came through with a run scoring RBI in the ninth. Minnesota matched a club record with four batters reaching via hit by pitch (Buxton, Castro, Wallner, Jeffers). It done previously on July 5, 1970, April 13, 1971 and May 7, 1995 (17.0 innings). The Twins were 3 for 13 with RISP. Box Score
2023 – The Twins shut out the Royals at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday afternoon by a score of 2-0, improving to 28-35 (17-22) all-time on Opening Day. It was their first Opening Day victory since a 10-5 win at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 24, 2020 against the Chicago White Sox. Pablo López (1-0) was the starter and winner, pitching 5.1 shutout innings, with two hits allowed, three walks and eight strikeouts. Lopez became just the second different Twins starter to earn an Opening Day win on the road since 1987 (other: Brad Radke in 2001 & ’03). Jhoan Duran earned the save with a scoreless ninth. The shutout was the Twins’ fifth Opening Day shutout in club history (since 1961) and first since a 2-0 victory over Cleveland in 2019 at Target Field. The offense recorded 10 hits, highlighted by Trevor Larnach, who went 2-for-4 with a walk, the game-winning RBI and a run scored. Byron Buxton and Christian Vazquez also each had two hits. Attendance was 38,351 and the game took 2 hours and 32 minutes to play. Box Score
2021 – The Twins finished their 31st Spring Training in Fort Myers, FL with a record of 11-15-2. Willians Astudillo led the club in hits (15) while Kyle Garlick led the club in home runs (5) and RBI (13). Kenta Maeda led the club in innings pitched (18.1) and strikeouts (22). The Twins drew 34,586 over 14 openings for an average of 2,043-per-game. Their overall attendance was fourth in all of baseball and second in the Grapefruit League, trailing New York-AL (35,215).
2020 – No Twins vs Mariners game in Seattle today due to COVID-19
2019 – The second game of the season for the Twins turns out to be cold (34 degrees) and blustery with a 17 MPH wind blowing out to left field. Trevor Bauer starts for the Indians and Jake Odorizzi started for Minnesota. Both teams score in the fourth inning and the game remains dead-locked at 1-1 going into the ninth. Blake Parker a FA signee by the Twins this off-season is the fifth Twins pitcher of the game. Odorizzi went six innings and tied a career high of 11 strikeouts but got a ND for his efforts. Making his Twins debut Parker retires the first batter but then gives up a single, a wild pitch, another wild pitch, and walk. With runners at the corners Greg Allen hits a sac fly to deep center and the Indians score to take a 2-1 lead. The Twins loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth against Brad Hand but he strikes out C.J. Cron for the final out and the save. The Twins get just two hits in the game and lose 2-1. Jake Odorizzi and José Berríos became the second pair of pitchers in baseball history (since 1893 – since the mound was placed at its current distance from home plate) to start a team’s season with consecutive double-digit strikeout totals; the only others to ever do it were Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling for the Diamondbacks in 2001. Attendance was 15,271 for game two versus 39,519 for the opener, but to be fair the weather for the opener was much nicer. Box Score
2018 – No Game Today
1981 – The Twins trade outfielder Ken Landreaux to the Los Angeles Dodgers for outfielder/third baseman Mickey Hatcher, first baseman Kelly Snider, and pitcher Mathew Reeves. Neither Kelly Snider or Mathew Reeves ever achieved their goal of reaching the big leagues.
