twins summer preview
Our collection of stories about the long-delayed 2020 baseball season.
30 for 60: Twins make final cuts, set Opening Day roster
The Twins open the season Friday night against the White Sox. Here is the team's roster, which includes 30 active players, two on the injured list and one suspended.
Play ball! Twins can finally release pent-up anticipation
Expectations can be a perilous burden in normal times. But the 2020 Twins seem happy to bear them as baseball is about to begin the most unusual season in the game's history.
Scoggins: Baldelli's Bomba Squad 2.0 is potent top to bottom, inside-out
Lineup options abound for the 2020 Twins. And it's a lineup that looks even more formidable than the one that launched an MLB-record 307 home runs and scored a franchise-record 939 runs.
Ballpark audio engineers are maestros of music and sounds
After witnessing just how much silence there was without fans in the park during a recent scrimmage, the Twins will be pumping in songs from hitters' playlists throughout their entire at-bat this season.
Twins and fake noise: Still in state of denial about World Series rumbling
Back when the Twins won the World Series in 1987, crowd noise was a front-and-center topic. And legendary broadcaster Al Michaels hasn't been shy about sharing his suspicions.
Scoggins: Twins would have to fall apart to miss just-expanded playoffs
A 60-game season magnifies every game, but MLB has eased the intensity by expanding the playoff field from 10 teams to 16 for this season.
Live free, pitch free: Welcome to Sergio Romo's wacky Twins universe
Baseball scouts showed little interest in the Twins reliever out of high school or college because he's smallish in size with a fastball that lacks sizzle. Yet he's in his 13th MLB season with three World Series rings and an All-Star appearance on his résumé.
Rosario's way: Swing first, ask questions later
Twins coaches want Eddie Rosario to take a more patient approach at the plate, without trying to curb his "magic hands" and aggressiveness. Rosario says he has a plan but is trying to heed that advice.
Secret to Mitch Garver's power? Crushing it with science
Mitch Garver blended science, baseball analytics and common sense to devise an approach that produced 31 home runs in only 311 at-bats last year.
Donaldson expects to bring more fire to already hot Twins offense
The Twins stepped up with a four-year, $92 million contract to bring in, by far, the most expensive free agent in club history, one who belted 37 home runs and had 94 RBI last season for Atlanta.
Twins' Maeda is a starter who can relieve, a pitcher who can hit
Despite his success as a reliever, veteran righthander Kenta Maeda wants the ball at the beginning of games, which is what the Twins plan to do. He also wants to have fun.
Reusse: Twins have easy schedule to playoffs? Stop and think about that
Solid pitching teams will have a greater advantage than normal over hard-hitting teams in this 60-game season. And the 2019 Twins won 101 games as a hitting team
Scoggins: Pandemic baseball is weird (but better than no baseball)
Chicago's Wrigley Field, a place revered for its rollicking party scene, was quieter than solitary confinement during Wednesday's game between the Twins and Cubs.
La Velle E. Neal III's AL and NL power rankings
Yankees, Dodgers take the tops spots as the abbreviated 2020 season begins this week.
Hit or error? Twins games will be officially scored off-site
In an effort to expose as few people as possible to any coronavirus risk, Major League Baseball last month informed its corps of scorebook-keepers that they will work remotely this season.
Reusse: After long and bumpy road, reliever Duffey plays key Twins role
The many twists in Tyler Duffey's now-lengthy tenure with the Twins is confirmation of how difficult it is to rise through the minor leagues and land successfully in the majors.
Star Tribune staff writers make their Twins predictions
Our staff predict anywhere from 33 to 40 Twins victories in this 60-game season
Twins announce TV schedule; Morneau gets call as main analyst
Dick Bremer will work with four former Twins players during the shortened season, with most of the work going to former first baseman Justin Morneau instead of Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven.
Pitching coach Johnson says summer camp just long enough to prepare
Wes Johnson sees evidence his charges were keeping in shape and working on their craft while the season's start was delayed.
Twins might be AL Central favorites, but Cleveland, Chicago no pushovers
Winning the Central might not be as easy as it was a year ago. That's because Cleveland is a more than capable team and and Chicago has assembled a number of young players with high ceilings.
Breaking bad habit, Twins adapt to baseball's no-spitting rule
MLB is not allowing spitting this season. It has ordered the removal of items from the dugout, such as sunflower seeds, to help reduce the chances that a player will have reason to spit.
Odorizzi has back stiffness that could delay debut; Chacin released
Jake Odorizzi was in line to be the No. 2 starter in the rotation behind Opening Day pitcher Jose Berrios — although nothing has been made official.
Hartman: Twins, Vikings medical staffs staying on top of virus protocols
The Vikings' protocols and safety measures are already being studied by people around the NFL; the Twins effort is being led by a Mayo Clinic physician.
Twins still deciding if they'll protest racial injustice at opener
Twins righthander Jose Berrios, who will start the opener opposite of Chicago righthander Lucas Giolito, said the club continues to discuss a possible response.
Five story lines for the 2020 Twins season
Here's what you need to know about the Twins' 60-game season sprint that begins Friday night in Chicago.