A general view of Hammond Stadium prior to a spring training game between the Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins on March 11, 2020 in Fort Myers, Florida. ((Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - One week from Friday, the Minnesota Twins will have pitchers and catchers in Fort Myers, Fla., to start Spring Training.
Four days after that, the Twins will host their first full squad workout at CenturyLink Sports Complex. The Twins on Friday announced a revised schedule for the Grapefruit League, which will feature 29 games against five opponents over a 31-day stretch. They’re all on the West Coast of Florida to minimize travel as they attempt to start another baseball season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Twins’ opponents will have eight games each against the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, seven against the Atlanta Braves, four against the Pittsburgh Pirates and two against the Baltimore Orioles. They’ll have 14 games at Hammond Stadium, and 15 on the road.
The Spring Training schedule will start Feb. 28 at Hammond Stadium against the Red Sox. The Twins also announced new health and safety protocols for fans planning to attend Spring Training games this year. The Twins are aiming to have about 2,400 fans at Hammond Stadium for games, and fans will be seated in pods of two or four seats to allow for social distancing.
Tickets will be available to the general public starting Feb. 24.
Twins officials announced CenturyLink Sports Complex will not be open to fans on non-game days. Following guidelines put in place by the Centers for Disease Control, there will be "buffer zones" between the playing field and first row of seats to allow for 12 feet of distance. All team personnel are prohibiited from signing autographs this year.
Stadium staff will have enhanced cleaning and sanitizing measures in place, and extra protocols are in place for concessions and retail staff.
All Twins' staff are required to wear facemasks, and fans above the age of 2 are required to wear masks to get into Hammond Stadium. They're also required in the ballpark, other than when eating, drinking or in their ticketed seat.
The Twins will also utilize touchless transactions, including mobile ticketing through the team's website and MLB Ballpark App. Credit card purchases will also not require signatures or pins.