Twins Brace for Chilly Home Opener and 17 April Home Games

Minnesota's MLB team prepares for potential cold weather and a packed early-season home schedule.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 10:07pm

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting a baseball game in progress, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the Twins and Rays uniforms.A cubist interpretation of the Twins' home opener captures the dynamic energy and unpredictable nature of early-season baseball in Minnesota.Minneapolis Today

The Minnesota Twins are set to host 17 home games in April, the most of any month this season, as they open their home schedule on Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays. The team is bracing for potentially chilly weather, with the forecast calling for temperatures in the 30s and 40s for the home opener, though not expected to break any cold-weather records.

Why it matters

The Twins' heavy home schedule in April is an unusual quirk of the 2026 MLB calendar, which the team is using to its advantage by scheduling additional outdoor concerts and games with the Savannah Bananas exhibition team later in the summer. However, the early-season cold weather in Minnesota is an annual challenge the Twins must prepare for each spring.

The details

The Twins have played a handful of home games in 30-degree weather over the years, with the coldest game on record being in April 2018 when the game-time temperature was 27 degrees. While this year's home opener is not expected to be that cold, with forecasts in the 30s and 40s, the team is still preparing for potential chilly conditions as they host 17 games at Target Field in April.

  • The Twins' home opener is scheduled for Friday, April 4, 2026 at 3:10 PM.
  • The Twins will play a total of 17 home games in April 2026, the most of any month this season.

The players

Matt Hodson

A spokesman for the Minnesota Twins.

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What they’re saying

“The very first home opener we had here was mid 60s back in 2010. We've had other years where we have had snow.”

— Matt Hodson, Twins Spokesman

“When we saw the schedule come out and the 17 home games, we thought, 'Hey, it's Minnesota, it's spring time, we could have 71 degree weather, we could have 40.' It's what the schedule has. We'll play ball, and we'll be ready for it.”

— Matt Hodson, Twins Spokesman

What’s next

The Twins will take on the Tampa Bay Rays at 3:10 p.m. on Friday, April 4th for their home opener.

The takeaway

The Minnesota Twins' heavy home schedule in April, combined with the unpredictable spring weather in Minneapolis, presents both challenges and opportunities for the team as they look to get off to a strong start in the 2026 season.