MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota's season got started on March 30 against the Kansas City Royals, but Friday will be the first game at Target Field in nearly six months.
This will be the first glimpse the hometown fans will get of the new-look Twins. While there are a few new faces on this year’s roster, the biggest change might be the uniforms and logos. The Twins unveiled their new look back in November with different home and away uniforms, as well as two alternate uniforms.
“Our new look reflects the North Star we’ve set our organization towards, as it celebrates our special bond with our home community, honors our heritage and pushes us into the future in a dynamic, modern and uniquely Minnesotan way,” said club Executive Vice President Joe Pohlad in a statement.
If you’re planning on attending Friday's opener, here are a few things to know:
Tickets
There are still seats available with tickets starting at $15. Tickets can be purchased online through the Twins' website, by phone (612-33-TWINS or 1-800-33-TWINS) or in-person at the Target Field Ticket Office near Gate 29.
Breakfast on the Plaza
It’s the most important meal of the day, so the Twins want to make sure you're covered if you’re planning on getting to the ballpark early. Once again, the Twins will host their traditional Breakfast on the Plaza, where fans are invited to drive, bike or walk by Target Field on 7th Street for complimentary food and beverages from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Transportation/parking
For those planning on using public transportation to get to the field, there are several options. There are several bus routes that stop near Target Field. For more information on those routes and how to purchase a 6-hour pass, click here. Fans can also get to Target Field by hopping a ride on either the blue line or green line light rail trains.
Fans who plan on driving to the ballpark will have plenty of parking options, including several ramps within walking distance of Target Field. For more information about the ramps and surface lots near the ballpark, click here.
Honoring women in baseball
Prior to the first pitch, the Twins will unveil a new art installation dedicated to the past, present and future of women in baseball. The installation, located outside the Town Ball Tavern near section 229, was led by the Twins’ Women’s Initiative Network.
Ceremonial first pitches
This year’s home opener will have a musical theme to it. Minneapolis natives and 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis will be tossing out the first pitches. Growing up, the duo began playing together while they were students at Washburn High School in the 1970s. They went on to start The Time, which joined Morris Day and toured with Prince. They've won five Grammys and have been nominated for the Producer of the Year award 11 times. The two were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 5, 2022, by longtime friend and collaborator Janet Jackson.
National Anthem
A cast member from the musical “Hamilton” will be singing the Star-Spangled Banner to open Friday's game, and two F-16 Fighting Falcons from the Minnesota National Guard’s 148th Fighter Wing will do a flyover prior to the first pitch. During the seventh inning stretch, the entire cast of “Hamilton” will perform “God Bless America,” while a group from the Buffalo Community Special Olympics will lead fans in a rendition of “Take Me Out To The Ball Game.”
New on the menu
Target Field unveiled more than a dozen new dishes that will be available to fans throughout the season. The new items include fried chicken, Jonny pops, waffles, a "beer bat" and more. But don't worry, the new additions won't have any impact on the return of the classics — hot dogs, nachos, cheese curds, crackerjack. For a look at some of the new food at the ballpark, click here.
What's new?
Not only will the players have a new look this season, so will Target Field. The team will be unveiling its “Scoreboard 2.0 Project,” which features new LED technology for the new and enlarged videoboards and displays. The Twins have also updated the “Minnie & Paul” celebration sign over the centerfield wall and have placed a new baseball medallion atop the right field tower. It will also be the first time that fans can experience the new Creator’s Corner, which highlights BIPOC and women-owned businesses.
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