MINNEAPOLIS — Have those Homer Hankies at the ready, Twins fans. It's time for the postseason.
The Wild Card series gets underway at Target Field Tuesday when the Minnesota Twins host the Toronto Blue Jays in a best-of-three-game series. Gates for Games 1 and 2 open at 1:30 p.m. before the first pitches are thrown at 3:38 p.m. CT. If you're heading to the ballpark, here's what's in store.
Gate Giveaways
On Tuesday, Oct. 3 and Wednesday, Oct. 4, all fans will get a "We Believe" 2023 Homer Hanky.
Ceremonial First Pitch
Twins Hall of Famer and manager Tom Kelly will throw the ceremonial first pitch at Game 1 to fellow HOFer and World Series Champion Kent Hrbek.
For Game 2, Justin Morneau, Bally Sports North Broadcaster and Twins Hall of Famer will take the mound and pitch to Ron Gardenhire, Justin's longtime Twins manager.
National Anthem
On Tuesday, 15-year-old Twin Cities native Genet Gessert will perform the "Star-Spangled Banner" and "O Canada" before Twin Cities sibling band NUNNABOVE performs both anthems on Wednesday.
Minnesota National Guard Flyover
Fans attending Tuesday's game will be treated to a pregame flyover featuring a C-130 Hercules from the St. Paul-based 133rd Airlift Wing of the Minnesota National Guard.
Don't have your tickets yet? As of Monday afternoon, a limited number of single-game tickets are still available through the Twins website. Fans who are willing to commit to a season ticket package for the 2024 season can purchase ticket strips for the entire potential 2023 playoff run.
You can also purchase tickets via the secondary seller's market. Twins Director of Business Communications Matt Hodson recommends only SeatGeek.com, as it's the official MLB marketplace.
Hodson says having strong, vocal, support from Twins fans is critical, especially considering Blue Jays fans typically travel well whenever they play in Minneapolis and because Toronto won't host a single game in this Wildcard format.
"That's part of the fun of Post Season, you want a great atmosphere here in the ballpark and Twins/Blue Jays - any time we get together - it's a lot of fun for both fan bases," Hodson said. "We're sure the crowd will be raucous on both sides. Hopefully a lot more Twins fans, and we've seen that play out so far with where the tickets have been purchased from."
Once you get those tickets, there's the task of getting to and from games. Metro Transit Light Rail Blue and Green Line trains stop at Target Field, and the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority is adding additional express bus service for the three playoff games. Round trip tickets cost $6, and will depart from Southbridge Crossings Park & Ride at 1:35 p.m., Burnsville Transit Station at 2 p.m., Eagan Transit Station at 1:45 p.m., and Apple Valley Transit Station at 2 p.m. Riders will be picked up and dropped off at 5th Street Station, next to Target Field (Gate 3). Return busses will leave from 5th Street Station 30 minutes after the game ends.
SouthWest Transit's Twins Express will also continue into the postseason. Tickets are $5 for adults and kids 5 and up, and buses depart from East Creek Station, SouthWest Village and SouthWest Station.
Fans who aren't going to the games but interested in buying a Homer Hanky can purchase them from the team's clubhouse store at Target Field in-person, otherwise, they're available to order online from the Star Tribune.
New Foods
There will be a five new foods and a Playoff Punch Cocktail added to the playoff roster at Target Field:
- Land of 10,000 Rakes Walleye Sliders: Breaded walleye served on a toasted slider bun, garnished with caper lemon tartar and pickled onion and red cabbage. Available at Truly on Deck (rightfield corner).
- Kramarczuk’s Brat Burger: A new brat patty from iconic Minneapolis eatery Kramarczuk’s, accompanied by smoked gouda, Kramarczuk’s sauerkraut and Dijon aioli. Available at both Truly on Deck and Townball Tavern (leftfield corner).
- Pastrami Reuben Pretzel Sandwich: Shaved pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and a Russian dressing dipping sauce. Available at the Marketplace at Section 126.
- Union Hmong Kitchen Tater Tot Hot Dish: A unique fusion of flavors awaits with the Tater Tot Hot Dish from Minneapolis’ Chef Yia Vang and Union Hmong Kitchen, featuring Hmong chicken chili, scallions and tater tots. Available at the Carew Atrium (Delta SKY360° Club) and the Truly Grab-and-Go (Truly on Deck).
- Báhn Mì Brat: Experience the bold and flavorful Báhn Mì Brat, complete with pickled vegetables, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic mustard aioli and Hmong sausage. Available at Union Hmong Kitchen (Section 126, inside Gate 6).
New offerings at Target Field ahead of Twins postseason
Play Ball!
When it comes to the games themselves, most pundits agree Twins vs. Jays is an even matchup. Projected starters for the three games are:
Game 1 - Pablo Lopez (Twins) vs. Kevin Gausman
Game 2: Sonny Gray (Twins) vs. Chris Bassitt
Game 3: Joe Ryan (Twins) vs. José Berríos
The Twins starting staff led the American League with a 3.82 staff ERA, but Toronto was a close second at 3.85.
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