Unfortunately, you can’t put lipstick on an ugly 67-89 regular season record, let alone the bleak future outlook, now that the Pohlads plan to retain majority control of the organization.

Afterall, it was the Pohlads who started this MN Twins spiral two years ago when they decided to “right-size” the payroll, immediately following the deepest playoff run in decades. As a result, fans have gone from frustrated to apathetic.

Worst Twins attendance since team was offered for contraction

And when fans quit caring, 40,000 seat stadiums start to go empty, a fact of pro sports life that was on full display in downtown Minneapolis over the summer, where attendance tanked to levels we have never seen during the Target Field era.

The Minnesota Twins final attendance number for 2025: 1,768,728

Down 182,888 from last year.

Down 14,201 from 2001.

Worst single season attendance since 2000.

The Pohlads also aren’t selling the team.

— Ted (@tlschwerz) September 21, 2025

1,768,728 — That’s the final tally for the Minnesota Twins attendance this season — well short of 2024’s disappointing number of 1,951,616, and well short of the 2 million that former president Dave St. Peter projected last offseason, per Aaron Gleeman (The Athletic).

In fact, it’s been since 2000 — when the Twins lost 93 games and managed just 1,000,760 fans at the Metrodome — that fewer fans have showed up to watch the home-nine over the course of a full summer. After that ugly 2000 season, Carl Pohlad offered the franchise up for contraction, in exchange for $250 million.

Also #OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (2001) the #MNTwins are suddenly rumored to be candidate for contraction after initial reports a few days earlier suggested it would be the Expos and the Marlins. Weird. https://t.co/74SykIXmaG pic.twitter.com/QNi7FQ9E0r

— Dan WHENESOTA (@WHENESOTA) October 25, 2024

Too bad the current iteration of Pohlad ownership isn’t that open to offloading their MLB asset. But hell, now that the new minority investors have helped them clear more than $400 million in debt off the books, fans can at least be hopeful for more spending on talent this offseason, right?

Not only would that make the team better, but it would help excite fans during peak season ticket sale season. Oh and let’s not forget that selling Twins.TV subscriptions is now just as important as selling Target Field tickets. Without fan interest, it is incredibly difficult to make money as an MLB owner these days.

But let’s be real, the Pohlads are in this spot because they think in terms of short-term cents, not long-term sense. Any self proclaimed high school economist could have told them that cutting corners on talent would likely lead to more losses, less fan interest and ultimately less revenue.

Attendance problem is a Pohlad problem, and they’ll only make it worse.

The Pohlads didn’t care about any of that logic, though. They happily made their bed and now, if history tells us anything, they will cry in it and point fingers in all the wrong places with zero awareness of their own crimes.

So what is the owners’ offseason plan? In all likelihood, they’ll cut more, because that’s all this family knows when times are tough. That’s what Gleeman — who’s been watching this Pohlad car wreck closer than just about anyone in Twins Territory for the last two decades — fully expects, anyway.

And here’s the part that should have Twins officials really worried for what next year holds: For every team every year, the vast majority of tickets are sold before the season starts. Those tickets can’t be “unsold” no matter how badly a team plays or how turned off a fan base gets.

Because of that, MLB attendance is often referred to as a lagging indicator of fan interest. Whether a team has an amazing season or a terrible season, the full impact on overall attendance isn’t felt until the following year, when it’s again time to sell the vast majority of tickets in advance.

In other words: As bad as the Twins’ attendance was this season, and as far as it plunged following the roster-gutting trade deadline, the full weight of a horrendous 2025 and righteous fan frustration will be felt in 2026. Retaining existing season ticket holders will be difficult. Adding new ones? Good luck.

Aaron Gleeman – The Athletic

Even if the 2026 Minnesota Twins were to stumble into success, any rise in attendance would be delayed, just like 2025’s failures will be felt more next season than they were this summer. That reality will leave Twins executives and those in the PR department scrambling even further, but not in the right ways.

It was the Pohlads who got this ball rolling, after the 2023 season, and I fully expect them to make it worse until they are gone. Hell, the first move they made as they look toward the offseason, was to axe three-quarters of their pro scouting department.

So anyone hoping for more than nothing from the Twins this offseason will be setting expectations exponentially too high. In other words, their attendance problem is only going to get worse as long as there’s a Pohlad making decisions at the top.

But it wasn’t just the 2000s postgame rap concert that fans flocked to Target Field for this evening. In fact, there may have been just as many people there for tonight’s starting pitcher matchup between two 2025 All-Stars, the Twins’ Joe Ryan and the Pirates’ Paul Skenes.

It’s one of the better pitching matchups the Twins have hosted in recent memory. Ryan entered the night with a 2.76 ERA and 0.891 WHIP in 104.1 innings. Skenes is one of the only pitchers in baseball who’s looked better than Joe this season, posting a 1.94 ERA and 0.922 WHIP in 116 innings.

Livvy Dunne in town watching Minnesota Twins vs Pittsburgh Pirates

One of the more notable fans in the house tonight, possibly to watch both Nelly and Skenes, is internet sensation and former LSU gymnast, Livvy Dunne, who started dating the Pirates’ 23-year-old phenom starter when the two were both attending Louisiana State University.

Twins games are fun pic.twitter.com/ERf6uxOYzN

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) July 12, 2025

If you have ever been to Target Field for a Minnesota Twins game, or any MLB stadium, you’ve probably seen the production crew play a game on the scoreboard called, “celebrity look-a-like”, where they scan the crowd for celebrity doppelgangers.

Some finds are better than others. But in Minneapolis tonight, the Target Field production crew used the game to troll Livvy Dunne, putting a photo from the internet on one side and a live shot of Dunne in the stands on the other.

Dunne trolled by Target Field production crew

The standout gymnast — who has 5.4 million followers on Instagram and 8 million on TikTok — seemed to enjoy the moment, which she posted a video of on social media, along with other photos of her attending the Twins vs Pirates game.

Livvy Dunne is at Target Field to watch boyfriend Paul Skenes, and got put on the scoreboard between innings as her own celebrity look-a-like. pic.twitter.com/WoPdsJL28I

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) July 12, 2025

Seems like Livvy Dunn enjoyed her celebrity moment at Target Field pic.twitter.com/lfLFWgl8RD

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) July 12, 2025

Related: Former, Current Wolves Owners Uninterested in Buying Minnesota Twins

Livvy Dunne was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2024. Her and Paul Skenes are seen together all the time and she often travels with him to road games, along with attending plenty of home games in Pittsburgh.

She does not live with Skenes in the Steel City, however. Originally from New Jersey, Dunne — who made millions in NIL money before moving on from her collegiate gymnastics career — lives in New York.

Livvy’s housing aspirations made news earlier this week when she was denied by a local co-op board after submitting an offer to purchase Babe Ruth’s old house. Most recently, Dunne’s biggest public career venture came as the cover girl for the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

@livvy a split decision 😉 #sportsillustrated #miami #runway #model #gymnast #split ♬ original sound – &lt3

White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is open to selling his major league team, with an ownership group with ties to Nashville among those expected to pursue the club. At the same time, the Twins ownership group has hired the investment bank Allen & Company to explore a sale of Minnesota’s baseball franchise.

• Minnesota Twins attendance 2024 (ESPN): 24,094 per game (23rd in MLB)

Theoretically, the same ownership group that has been spearheading MLB expansion efforts in Nashville could also make a run at the Twins. The team is valued at $1.46 billion by Forbes, potentially making them a more affordable option than a White Sox sale which would go for $2 billion. However, Minnesota fans don’t have to worry about losing their favorite team no matter who buys it.

Related: How to Watch the Minnesota Twins in 2025

As detailed by Betsy Helfand of the St.Paul Pioneer Press about a potential sale, the Twins are only halfway through their 30-year lease with Minneapolis for Target Field. Not only is that relevant for any new ownership group’s ability to sell a team, but it’s even had an impact on a potential sale in the past.

Stadium leases have a history of keeping the Minnesota Twins in The Cities

In 1997, Carl Pohlad struck a deal to sell the Twins to a buyer trying to openly relocate the franchise to North Carolina. However, breaking the Metrodome’s stadium lease, among other costs, drove stadium building effort out east so high that voters there ended up rejecting the project. So, the Minnesota Twins lived on.

Also #OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1997) #MnTwins owner Carl Pohlad signs a letter of intent to sell the Twins to North Carolina nursing home mogul Don Beaver. https://t.co/8CruyZPIKy pic.twitter.com/VtJ4hJEjpo

— Dan WHENESOTA (@WHENESOTA) October 3, 2024

Just a handful of years later, the Twins and Montreal Expos were essentially voted out of the MLB. The Expos were sold and moved to Washington DC, where they became the Nationals.

Taking the Twins out of Minnesota wasn’t so easy, after a judge stopped the sale, citing their lease at the Metrodome. The injunction put commissioner Bud Selig up against possible legal battles that Major League Baseball did not want any part of. So, the Minnesota Twins lived on again.

On November 6, 2001, the owners of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball (MLB) voted 28–2 to eliminate two teams for the 2002 season. 

The contraction plan fell through due to a court injunction compelling the Twins to honor their lease with the Metrodome, as well as challenges by the players’ labor union, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). The Expos were later purchased by Major League Baseball. 

Wikipedia

The Twins aren’t going anywhere

In other words, we’ve been through this before. There’s no chance the team’s stadium lease will be overlooked, this time around. The last thing a new ownership group wants, after spending at least $1.4 billion on the franchise, at a time when there is very little TV revenue, is to be dealing with another source of high costs.

The stadium lease for Target Field requires a fixed rent cost of $600,000 (Marquette Law) and there’s an additional $300,000 paid out by the team for use of the ballpark. Not only is there more than a decade left on the lease, but there is also a non-relocation clause through the 2039 season.

Related: Minnesota Twins who might switch positions in 2024

At a minimum, any group that took over as Twins owners would need to keep the team in Minneapolis for the next 15 years. No city, no matter how desperate it is for a major-league franchise, would be willing to wait nearly two decades before it has a chance at getting said team. So, if the Twins are sold, the new owners will be calling Target Field home for a long time.

Breathe easy, Minnesota Twins fans. It’s okay to celebrate the Pohlads sale of the franchise. It’s okay to pray they find a buyer, too. Worry about that buyer being spend-happy, not whether or not they’ll pull the plug on your favorite baseball team.

MN sports fans are also reading: Stats to Know for Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings

And that’s why fans are mad. Their $30 million decrease in player payroll last offseason was unnecessary for a business that has $2+ billion worth of equity built up. The slash talent budget actually decreased player spending to a lower level than what it was back in the Metrodome Days, relatively speaking.

2024 Minnesota Twins cheaper than Metrodome Twins

Aaron Gleeman (The Athletic), the superhero of the mainstream Twins media anti-Pohlad movement, broke it down on Thursday morning, revealing just how cheap the Pohlad family really is.

Multiple team sources with knowledge of the situation insist the Twins do not plan further payroll cuts for 2025 and that spending will remain around $130 million, but Pohlad’s refusal to say it on the record is reason for skepticism. And really, “next season’s payroll won’t drop any further” is just a positive way to spin “this season’s payroll drop is the new normal.”

During the Twins’ final five seasons at the Metrodome, their payroll was 23 percent lower than the average MLB team. Fifteen years and one taxpayer-funded ballpark later, their 2024 payroll was … 24 percent lower than MLB average. And if the 2025 payroll stays around $130 million while the league as a whole increases, they’ll actually fall below Metrodome-era spending.

Aaron Gleeman (The Athletic)

Carl Pohlad passed away in 2009, and his son Jim became the face of the family business. In 2022, Jim passed those responsibilities onto Carl’s great grandson and his nephew, Joe Pohlad. One year later, the Twins went on their longest postseason run in two decades. They swept the Blue Jays in the ALWC, before falling to the Houston Astros in the ALDS.

Related: Diamond Sports Group (Bally) Doesn’t Want to Broadcast Twins Games Anymore

Not long after their most successful season since 2002, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey announced publicly that significant cuts were coming to the Twins’ payroll. That number ended up being $30 million, which handcuffed Minnesota’s PoBO to bargain bin shopping in the offseason.

Just about every single one of those clearance aisle purchases broke before the Twins could even use them. That caused a severe lack of depth just about everywhere on the field. It’s that lack of depth which cost the Minnesota Twins a chance at the 2024 MLB playoffs. Money isn’t everything. High spending organization flop all the time.

Seriously… why don’t the Pohlads just sell?

But baseball history shows us that teams willing to spend in the top-half of the league are usually the ones that come away with the most sustained success. Since the Pohlads are worried so much about padding their pockets, why not just sell?

Why not just take your $2-3 billion, and exit the baseball ownership business. The more you think about it, the more it makes sense. Remember, Carl Pohlad spent more time trying to unload the Minnesota Twins than he did trying to win games. So why not just finish the job Jim’s dad couldn’t? Complete the sale. Bring in an owner who cares.

Also #OTD in #Minnesota Sports History (1997) #MnTwins owner Carl Pohlad signs a letter of intent to sell the Twins to North Carolina nursing home mogul Don Beaver. https://t.co/8CruyZPIKy pic.twitter.com/VtJ4hJEjpo

— Dan WHENESOTA (@WHENESOTA) October 3, 2024

Pass them off to someone willing to run the organization like it’s a multi-billion professional sports organization, not like a 1985 family-run business with an uncertain financial future.

Related: Minnesota Twins Retaining Rocco Baldelli’s Right-Hand Man

It’s beyond time, and Minnesota Twins fans wouldn’t have to worry about the team leaving. Contrary to what they Pohlads might believe, there is too much money to be made in the Twin Cities to leave. You promised more spending if we got you a stadium, so we did. Now you are failing on your end of the bargain.

Good will contract: Terminated

Justifiably, fans are mad. Some point their finger at Rocco Baldelli, others want Derek Falvey and Thad Levine out. But the real ones know. The Minnesota Twins’ No. 1 problem is at the ownership level. The Pohlad family cut $30 million from the payroll in the offseason, right after the Twins made the longest postseason run in 20 years.

Minnesota Twins fan arrested, banned from Target Field for anti-Pohlad sign

So (finally), instead of just “Fire Rocco” signs being raised at Target Field, something we have seen sporadically in recent days, one brave soul made an anti-Pohlad sign on Friday that read — “Defund the PO…lahds” on one side and “Penny Pinching Pohlads = Mediocrity” on the other — then proudly held it above his head, in protest of Twins’ ownership.

But unlike the anti-Baldelli signs, which were not forcibly taken down and did not come with any ramifications, Michael Bailey (@bailbino on Twitter) was tracked down, kicked out and banned from his favorite team’s home stadium for all of next season. Watch the video underneath the signs. It’s insane.

This is insane! My new hero @bailbino proudly displayed these signs at Target Field on Friday night, where he was subsequently ARRESTED and BANNED from the stadium for a year.

I'm probably not tweeting this for an article that's about to get 1 million pageviews. #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/nUQ7MP5yJo

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) September 28, 2024

pic.twitter.com/lMYMdltY5D

— Michael Bailey (@bailbino) September 28, 2024

This is not acceptable behavior. This dude didn’t cut the knees out from underneath the Minnesota Twins. That was the Pohlads. They cut payroll, they quit on this team. All Michael Bailey did was point it out on tagboard. Oh by the way, more cuts are probably coming.

WTF were the Twins/Pohlads thinking?

It was Joe Pohlad and his uptight family members that turned the Minnesota Twins starting rotation from its biggest strength to its most obvious weakness. They let Sonny Gray leave in free agency, then refused to replace him. And it was the Pohlads who cut off the money supply needed to make trades and pay free agents.

The Twins needed one of the most dramatic 2nd half collapses in its history, to miss the 2024 MLB Postseason. Had they been able to replace Gray in the offseason, add depth on offense and in the bullpen at the trade deadline, we’re getting our Homer Hankies out today.

Read More: Report: Minnesota Twins Could Cut Payroll Again

If those salary cuts never happen, no doubt the Minnesota Twins would have found a way into the playoffs. And had that been the case, Target Field would be packed with ecstatic fans this weekend. Fans who have forgotten what a ‘Pohlad Pocket Protector’ is.

Instead, the place is empty and those who do attend are lifting signs that get them unjustly escorted out of the stadium by police. It should be the Pohlads who are banned from Target Field. Destroying October for millions of Minnesota Twins fans is the real crime here.

**A previous version of this story had Bailey being arrested. He was escorted out of the stadium by police, but he was not arrested. In the future, Minnesota Sports Fan will do a better job of confirming important details like this, as to provide accurate information to our readers.

The coolest moment of the game, however, came in the bottom of the 6th inning, with Royce Lewis at the plate. That’s when the young Twins slugger, who has been tested for steroids a bunch lately and hit another HR on Sunday, popped a foul ball straight back into the Target Field crowd.

Minnesota Twins usher makes remarkable catch

Luckily, there was a sure-handed usher in the vicinity, who was determined to make sure those sitting behind him remained safe from flying projectiles. In order to fulfill that duty, the well-dressed man leapt up and snagged Lewis’ foul ball with his right hand like a center fielder robbing a sure-fire home run with no glove. Peep the full extension.

He was chosen for this moment!#MNTwins #MLB pic.twitter.com/O1XkjPdIoE

— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) August 4, 2024

Related: Minnesota Twins Could Still Add Payroll in August

Speaking of center fielders, Target Field ushers weren’t the only Twins employees making spectacular catches today. Byron Buxton had the second most impressive catch of the afternoon. While both will probably be on SportsCenter’s Top-10 plays tonight, Buck’s actually counted for an out and saved a Chicago run.

Byron Buxton leaves game after completing his own incredible catch

Unfortunately, as is often the case with Byron, he didn’t gracefully pull off his incredible catch. Instead, he violently smashed into, and ricocheted off, the center field wall, before landing hard on the outfield warning track, ball in glove and wincing in pain.

Hopefully it's precautionary given the lopsided score, but Byron Buxton is out of the game after crashing into the wall making this amazing catch. pic.twitter.com/bqrxBxzs1x

— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) August 4, 2024

Related: Bullpen Moves Draw Ire From Minnesota Twins Clubhouse

When the dust settled on this afternoon, the Minnesota Twins were able to walk away with a high-scoring victory. It was an exciting day at the ballpark, filled with spectacular catches, some from unexpected places.

Bally Sports North’s Audra Martin sings for Target Field crowd

There was another pleasant surprise during the 7th inning stretch, when Bally Sports North on-field reporter, Audra Martin, added to her game day duties by performing God Bless America. Audra, who also works Minnesota Wild games, is clearly a woman of many talents, singing included.

Audra Martin sings 'God Bless America' at Target Field!#MNTwins #MLB pic.twitter.com/dAyuqdvvWK

— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) August 4, 2024

After sweeping the White Sox, who play in Oakland on Monday, it’ll actually be the Twins who pack up and catch a flight to Chicago. That’s because they start a 3-game set at Wrigley Field tomorrow, vs the cross town rival, Cubs (54-59).

Related: Twins Players Admit They Wanted Help at MLB Trade Deadline

The Cleveland Guardians lost to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, meaning the Twins enter Monday 4.5 games back of the division leaders. On Thursday, Minnesota and Cleveland will start a four game weekend series that will have HUGE playoff implications.

One of the more fan-friendly and unique features, both inside and out at Target Field, is the quasi-museum of local baseball history that is stashed there, much of which stretches far beyond the pro team that came from Washington DC 50 years ago.

But when it comes to Twins history, you see permanent pennants hang on the edges of the main plaza, depicting the greatest players to ever wear the TC or M logo hat. The true legends, though, they get a larger than life full-body bronze statue erected outside the near 15-year-old baseball stadium.

And according to Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press, Joe Mauer is next on the statue list for the Pohlads. In the ‘Don’t print that…’ section of his bi-weekly column, Charley writes,“it’s not a matter of if, but when the Twins will erect a statue of Joe Mauer at Target Field”.

Minnesota Twins Joe Mauer statue coming to Target Field

Mauer is scheduled to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 21st and he was inducted into the Minnesota high school hall of fame on Monday night. But clearly, there’s more bronze in Joe’s future. Currently, there are only four Twins legends — Kirby Puckett, Harmon Killebrew, Rod Carew and Tony Oliva — who have earned the honor.

The placement of Mauer’s statue remains to be seen and so does the date of its erection. Charley reported, in 2022, that Jim Kaat and Bert Blyleven would be next on that exclusive list. We’ll see if Mauer jumps them on the bronze totem pole. Nonetheless, Walters (a former Twin) reports that it will happen soon enough.

It's Joe Mauer's birthday! 🥳

Aka, a national holiday, right? 😏 pic.twitter.com/ELCS68A4qC

— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) April 19, 2024

Beyond his impending statue, Mauer will probably have his number seven placed at an entrance somewhere around Target Field, per stadium tradition. Gate 34, next to Kirby, would make sense. That area is currently home to the Twins ‘Creator’s Corner’, as well as their lawn games and the largest beer tap stand in the stadium. By splitting up some of the metal sections in that area, construction and redesign would likely be minimal.

Related: Official: Joe Mauer is a 1st Ballot MLB Hall of Famer

Mauer going into the Hall of Fame on his first try was hardly a guarantee. But here we are. And soon, he’ll become the youngest Hall of Famer alive. It only makes sense to celebrate his contributions to the Minnesota Twins franchise outside of Target Field for decades to come. He’s Mr. Minnesota, after all.

Kirk is one section over from me. Seated with the common folk again. Man of the people! #Vikings pic.twitter.com/7jhz5M1F4P

— Nicole (@SuperSonnek26) October 10, 2023

Kirk Cousins is a man of the people

Kirk isn’t the only local sports star or celebrity at the game today. For example, Johan Santana threw out the first pitch and sat in a suite with Joe Mauer in a luxury suite, one of many at the Twins’ home stadium. Same with a few Minnesota Wild players.

Related: Vikings Place Justin Jefferson on Injured Reserve – Out at Least 4 Weeks

But not Kirk Cousins. Just like last week, Kirk put on his Kent Clark disguise and sat down with the common fans, where he’d be able to feel the atmosphere best.

Mike Florio is so mad right now…

When Kirk spent part of last week’s family day at Target Field, it should surprise nobody that there were cynics who questioned his investment in being great. One of those critics was Mike Florio, of Pro Football Talk, who called Cousins out, saying “do you think Patrick Mahomes is spending his Tuesday at a baseball game?

Do you want to be great?

Do you? If so, what are you willing to do to be great? What are you willing to sacrifice to be great? Are you willing to work every single day to be great? Because others who aspire to be great are doing exactly that.

More specifically, are you willing to pass on going to a baseball game five days before facing Patrick Mahomes in a game that will result in your team being either 1-4 or 2-3?

Cousins has every right to take the day off. Do you think Mahomes did? Do you think any of the great ones do?

Mike Florio – Pro Football Talk

This is a Kirk Cousins appreciation post

With the Minnesota Vikings now 1-4, I can only imagine the hair Florio is pulling out of his head tonight. But Kirk isn’t going to let a mad Mike ruin his night out at the ballgame with his wife and boys. And frick it, with the common fan like you and me.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Defense Rankings 2023 – Week 6

This Viking season looks like it is going nowhere fast and that could mean Kirk Cousins is on his way out. Even if that is the case, I have grown a new appreciation for this man, in his time as our QB1, especially in the last few years. Too bad he couldn’t bring any luck to the Twins, who look like they’ll be down 1-2 going into game 4.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Where is Target Field? 

Target Field is in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The address is 1 Twins Way, Minneapolis, MN 55403.

Who plays at Target Field?

The Minnesota Twins play at Target Field. 

How do I get to Target Field?

There are a variety of ways to get to Target Field. If you drive, more information on parking is below. Your other options include by train. The Northstar commuter train runs from Big Lake and has a special schedule on days of home Minnesota Twins playoff games. The downtown light rail system has an adjusted schedule as well.

More Details: Public Transit options and playoff light rail/train schedules to Target Field

When was the Target Field built?

The Target Field was built on April 12, 2010.

Related: Twins Win Game 2: Pablo Lopez Lights Out vs Astros; ALDS Tied 1-1 Going to Minnesota

Does Target Field have a roof?

Target Field was built without a roof. It is an open stadium.

What is the capacity of Target Field?

The capacity at Target Field is 38,544. This includes stadium seating and standing-room availability.

Related: Minnesota Twins game today: TV schedule, channel, and more

Is the Target Field cashless?

Target Field encourages cashless payments, so they advise having your debit or credit card handy.

How far is the Mall of America from Target Field?

The Mall of America is about 15 minutes away from Target Field, depending on traffic.

Can you tailgate at Target Field?

Unfortunately, you can’t tailgate at Target Field. There are plenty of bars near the field if you want to pre-game before heading to the stadium. 

Related: How to watch Minnesota Twins Playoff Games in 2023

How much is parking at Target Field?

There are several options for parking in downtown Minneapolis including 7,000 spaces adjoining Target Field in the ABC and Hawthorne ramps and nearly 25,000 parking spaces in parking lots/ramps throughout downtown. Game day parking options for Target Field event attendees in Ramps A and B start at $14 and the Hawthorne Ramp costs $12. 

What bars are close to Target Field? 

There are a few bars that are within walking distance of Target Field. We have listed some bars you can pre-game at since tailgating isn’t an option.

• Number 12 Cider, 0.2 mile – 3-minute walk 
• Fulton Brewing Taproom, 0.2 mile – 3-minute walk 
• Modist Brewing Co., 0.2 mile – 4-minute walk 
• The Freehouse, 0.2 mile – 4-minute walk 
• Kieran’s Irish Pub, 0.3 mile – 4-minute walk 
• Lyon’s Pub, 0.4 mile – 8-minute walk 
• The Pourhouse, 0.8 mile – 6-minute walk 

What time do the gates open at Target Field?

Target Field gates open one hour before the first game for all Monday-Thursday night games, 90 minutes before the first scheduled game for weekday afternoon matchups, and two hours before the first game for all Friday-Sunday matchups.

Can you watch batting practice before the game at Target Field?

Yes, you can watch batting practice at Target Field. It can vary, but most MLB teams typically start batting practice two and a half hours before game time. Batting practice lasts about 45 minutes per team. 

What can you bring to Target Field?

If you want to bring something inside Target Field, it can only be soft-sided containers and bags 16”x16”x8” or smaller. Coolers and bags of any size with hard sides are not permitted inside the ballpark.  

Related: Mr. October Carlos Correa Has Arrived and He is Beautiful

What to eat at Target Field

Target Field has spectacular options to grab a bite to eat during the game. Here are some concession locations where you can grab food at Target Field. 

• Bub’s Gourmet Aussie Pies, Section 126 
• Mac’s Fish, Section 126 
• Roots for the Home Team, Section 101 
• La Tapatia, Section 109 
• We Are Nuts, Section 126
• Upcycle Foods, Section 126
• Blue Door Pub, Gate 34 
• Soul Bowl, Section 112
• Turkey To Go, Section 114
• Hot Indian, Section 122

Read More: Up to the minute Minnesota Twins blogs and news

What hotels are close to Target Field? 

A few hotels are close to Target Field if you want to stay close to the stadium. These are the closest options to Target Field:

• Hampton Inn & Suites, 0.3 mile – 4-star hotel – $124
• Embassy Suites by Hilton, 0.3 mile – 4-star hotel – $129 
• Fairfield Inn & Suites, 0.4 mile – 4-star hotel – $129 
• TownePlace Suites by Marriott, 0.4 mile – 4-star hotel – $136

Target Field crowd helps lead Minnesota Twins to Wildcard win

And Twins fans showed up at 1 Twins Way ready to perform an exorcism, leaving both the home and away teams stunned at the amount of energy reverberating through the 13-year-old downtown baseball stadium. Rocco Baldelli commented on the atmosphere after both wins but had extra fervor to his postgame speech following the game 2 victory.

Rocco Baldelli on the playoff atmosphere Twins fans brought to Target Field, “it’s a weapon.” pic.twitter.com/JMbWnakWD0

— Baseball Is Dead (@baseballisdead_) October 4, 2023

Rocco Baldelli called the Target Field crowd "a weapon" after Wednesday's win over the Blue Jays. #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/Wv3NPXT1qZ

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) October 5, 2023

“Our crowd, it’s a weapon. It’s a weapon for us. I mean, they’re still going right now. They were going before the first pitch. The crowd just never stopped. It affects us, in a good way, it affects the other team… it’s a weapon.“

Target Field fans get assist for game-changing pickoff

Not only was the Target Field crowd a weapon that could be felt throughout the series, it made a measurable difference on Wednesday, when Sonny Gray and Carlos Correa hooked up for a 5th inning pickoff play that ended the biggest threat Toronto mounted on the night.

Related: Minnesota Twins Sweep Blue Jays in AL Wildcard; First Playoff Series Win Since 2002

Correa noticed earlier in the game that Blue Jays baserunners could not hear their 3rd base coach, because the Target Field crowd was too loud. That led to the inning-ending pickoff that will be talked about by Minnesota Twins fans forever.

Correa and Gray both confirmed after the game that Correa notified him after the first inning that the crowd was making it difficult on the baserunners and that led to the called the pickoff play in the 5th.

GOT 'EM#MNTwins | #WeBelieveinTC

🎥: @MLB pic.twitter.com/SdCtJ6LD7z

— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) October 4, 2023

Sonny Gray says Carlos Correa called the pickoff play on Vlad Guerrero Jr. He told him the Blue Jays couldn’t hear their third base coach tell “back” because #MNTwins fans were so loud. @FOX9 pic.twitter.com/9g9DwVGlQb

— Jeff Wald (@JeffWaldFox9) October 5, 2023

We all thought that the big Minnesota Twins homefield playoff advantage imploded with the Metrodome but, clearly, Target Field can have the same effect as long as fans bring it like they did during the ALWC.

The Twins will get at least two more home games next series vs the Houston Astros, in their best-of-5 series.

Related: Minnesota Twins End 18-Game Postseason Losing Streak with Victory Over Blue Jays

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan