This season the Twins have repaired both their starting rotation and a bullpen that let the team down consistently in 2022. The Minnesota Twins' home opener this year is against the Houston Astros on April 6th at 3:10 PM. With new faces, and staying healthy comes new hope for the 2023 season!
New Signage
The Twins will unveil an enhanced addition to Target Field’s iconic center field Celebration Sign and various display boards around the stadium. The center field sign features the original 1961 Twins’ logo that shows two characters dressed in old-time uniforms -- one from Minneapolis and one from St. Paul -- and lights up whenever a Twins player hits a home run, making it look like "Minnie and Paul" are shaking hands across the Mississippi River. Now, the club’s “TC” logo will be encased in a revolving, illuminated baseball medallion sitting atop the right field tower.
As part of an overall $29.5M video and technology upgrade project that will be in place by Opening Day, the ballpark will boast 22 new Daktronics video displays, including the main video board. All told, the displays total more than 23,000 square feet, more than double what the ballpark had when it opened in 2010. More information and easier to see!
New Rules
- The new rules are designed to help fans enjoy the game more. If you attended a minor league game last year most of these rules were in force. The rules should speed the game up considerably and open it up to provide more scoring–that is what fans want to see. Here is an overview of the changes.
- At the start of each pitch, teams must have at least two infielders on either side of second base, with all four positioned on the infield dirt. Infielders may not switch positions unless there is a substitution. This will eliminate both the time to do the shift between batters and provide more offensive opportunities to the team at bat.
- There is a 30-second timer between batters and a time limit between pitches. After getting the ball from the catcher or umpire, pitchers are required to begin their motion within 15 seconds with the bases empty or within 20 seconds with runners on base. If they don't, they're charged with an automatic ball. Hitters also share the responsibility to keep the game moving. They must be in the batter's box and ready for the pitch by the time the clock reaches 8 seconds. If not, they're charged with an automatic strike. A batter can call time out only once per plate appearance. This is a big one for speeding up the game.
- The bases are now 18 inches square (previously 15 inches). That decreases the distance between first, second and third base by 4.5 inches. This gives the base runner more real estate on each bag to reach around the defender and beat the throw. It’s also hoped to help avoid injuries.
Another rule to speed up the game is, pitchers are also limited to a maximum of two pickoff attempts per batter appearance. If a pitcher attempts a third pickoff throw and doesn't get the runner out, it's an automatic balk and all runners move up one base.
Accessibility
Target field is a great venue for anyone to watch a Twins Game. The Twins have rightly been lauded for making one of the most disability-friendly stadiums in the country. They have nearly 800 seats that can accommodate people in wheelchairs or those who have trouble using stairs.
The Twins offer ADA seating throughout the ballpark and at various price points. The exception is the 300-level, which is accessible only by stairs. To ensure price equity for fans with disabilities, wheelchair spaces on the 200-level are sold at a reduced price to match the price of tickets on the level above. The Suite Level and all individual suites at Target Field are fully wheelchair-accessible. The Suite Level can be accessed by first entering through either Ramp A or Gate 29, and then taking elevators 9-12 to the Suite Level. A guest drop-off area is located outside of Gate 29 and Gate 14 for guests with mobility issues. All gates at Target Field are ADA-accessible. If a guest that utilizes a wheelchair will be attending a game in a private suite, Target Field staff will remove an exterior chair to allow that guest access to view the game from the balcony of the suite. A 24-hour notice is appreciated to best prepare the suite for that guest.
Guests with mobility issues may use either of the Drop Off Zones along 7th Street, near both the Majestic Clubhouse Store and Gate 14. No accessible parking permit is required to use this Drop Off Zone, but this is strictly a drop-off zone, with no parking permitted in this zone.
Public Transportation
Target Field is more accessible by public transit than any other ballpark in America. Visit MetroTransit to plan your public transportation via Bus, Light Rail, or if it starts up again, NorthStar Commuter Rail. Want personal help planning your transit trip? Call Metro Transit at 612-373-3333. When attending the game, crossing guards give priority to handicapped individuals so they can get access more easily to public transportation.
Food
If you enter Target field via the plaza you get a wonderful combination of sight and sound that says baseball to so many fans. Food purveyors are all around you, the smell of hotdogs wafting in the air, and the green grass of the field straight ahead. Just like every year, there is no shortage of food at Target Field. When you start here you walk past Truly On Deck. Truly on Deck, formerly known as Bat & Barrel, is the complete remodel of what was first known as The Metropolitan Club. This brewpub-style venue is sponsored by Truly Hard Seltzer and houses the Minnesota Twins Worlds Series Trophies along with Silver Sluggers, Gold Gloves, and other awards and trophies won by current and former players.
Named for Bloomington native and first-baseman extraordinaire Kent Hrbek, the pub is great fun, much like Hrbek himself. Hrbek's features some of #14's favorite signature basket foods, the Triple Sausage Sampler Bloody Mary, a full bar, and an outdoor patio located in section 114 of the main concourse.
Designed to be the ultimate Minnesota Twins outdoor experience, the Budweiser Roof Deck is located in the left-field corner of Target Field and offers sweeping skyline views of downtown Minneapolis. The Budweiser Roof Deck features a partial roof canopy, bar, and concessions areas along with convenient private restrooms for your guests. A signature feature of the area is a large fire pit that will warm guests on cool spring and fall evenings. Sounds good for an April home opener!
Summit Brewing Pub is the Twins’ Hometown Craft Beer sponsor. Located down the left-field line of the club level, this space will provide fans with the taste of one of Minnesota’s most beloved craft breweries. Summit will serve 16oz cans of Summit Extra Pale Ale, Summit Sága IPA, Summit Slugfest Juicy IPA, and soon-to-be-available Summit Cabin Crusher Kölsch-Style Ale with Lime.
Seating
You can find out a lot of information by checking out this Twins access guide for fans with disabilities. The Twins have had an accessible ticketing guide in the past and it may pop up again as the season approaches. For now, you may want to call 1-800-33-TWINS and just discuss your needs with the ticketing representative. Gameday tickets are also available and they will help with access to the stadium.
Fun Things at Target Field
One of the joys of a home Minnesota Twins game is experiencing the baseball-themed Target Field public art. A 66-foot-long glass mosaic on the Seventh Street side of Target Plaza.
The mosaic showcases the themes “All Are Welcome at Target Field” and “Celebrating Our Community’s Rich Diversity.” Designed by the Minneapolis duo of mosaic artist Daniela Bianchini and muralist Kalaka, and comprised of thousands of individual glass pieces, this mural is designed to bring many of Minnesota’s cultures and communities together in a colorful expression of unity.
How good will the Twins be this year?
This season the Twins will likely have a corp of five starting pitchers. Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, Tyler Mahle, and Kenta Maeda are all hoping to get starting roles. Last season was frustrating for some fans when Rocco would go to his bullpen early and things would spin out of control with inconsistent performances. This season, they have two closer-quality relievers in Jhoan Duran and Jorge Lopez, plus the arms of Griffin Jax, Caleb Thielbar, Jovani Moran and Jorge Alcala. To top off their pitching corp they have several young players Bailey Ober, Louie Varland, Josh Winder, Simeon Woods Richardson, and Cole Sands. This season they aren't starting off with a red alert about their pitching.
It's likely the team will miss the departing Luis Arraez who was traded to the Marlins after winning the American League batting title. However, the team needed to shore up a variety of areas and hopefully give star Byron Buxton breaks in center field and maybe time as the DH. Their outfield features so many youthful options and prospects — Alex Kirilloff, Trevor Larnach, Matt Wallner, and Royce Lewis--if Royce can return to good health--will be competing for outfield spots. Kirilloff is also competing for the starting first base position in an infield that will likely have Carlos Correa at short, Jose Miranda at third and Jorge Polanco at second. Nick Gordon, Taylor, and Farmer will be the utility players. Correa signed a blockbuster contract that locks him into the Twins until 2028 or longer. Catchers this year are Christian Vazquez and Ryan Jeffers who are both very capable. Other notable moves this winter, they added a former Gold Glove center fielder, Michael A. Taylor, to back up Byron Buxton, and former starting shortstop Kyle Farmer, who was signed before the Twins re-signed Carlos Correa.
This could be a fun year with a team that has a great mixture of depth, youth, and people trying to make their way back into starting lineups. Gone are the days of the Twins La Bomba squad to more of a combination of power and speed. If the team stays healthy they should contend for the playoffs deep into the season and make things exciting. No matter what happens on the field it’s always fun to take your favorite senior to the ballpark and watch the boys of summer!