Twins fan banned from Target Field after ‘Defund the Pohlads’ protest
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Twins season will come to an end on Sunday at Target Field, without a playoff appearance for the second time in three years.
Twins’ fans are more than frustrated with the team’s late summer collapse and lack of action going back to last offseason. One fan was kicked out of Target Field during Saturday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles after a confrontation with security which started after he was spotted holding a "Defend the Po...hlads" sign outside the ballpark.
The fan also had a "Penny Pinching Pohlads = Twins Mediocrity" sign.
What happened
Several law enforcement officers and at least one Twins’ security worker were seen on video Saturday night escorting a fan from the Target Field plaza, holding the sign. The fan, identified on social media as Michael Bailey, tells them he was protesting.
The sign is a play on words to "Defund the Police," which was an active moment following the protests against the Minneapolis Police Department after George Floyd’s death in 2020.
Speaking with FOX 9, a Twins spokesperson said the fan was asked to put down the signs because the stadium has rules against derogatory signs. When speaking with staff, the Twins claim the man was verbally abusive and using profanity around families. That's when he was asked to leave.
According to the spokesperson, the man refused to leave and, ultimately, was trespassed from the property – which comes with a year-long ban from the stadium.
Why it matters
The Twins were officially eliminated from the American League Playoffs earlier this week. They were 70-53 at one point this season, and had a 12-25 stretch to fall behind both the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers. They’re both Wild Card teams, while the Cleveland Guardians won the AL Central title.
The fan base is angry at the team for its inaction going back to last offseason. Sonny Gray left in free agency, and there was no fight to bring him back, and no plan to sign a pitcher in free agency. To add insult, the Pohlad ownership group said publicly it was cutting payroll by about $30 million because of the team’s uncertainty with its TV contract.
That sends a bad message after they had won a division title, won their first playoff game in 19 tries and won their first series in two decades. There have also been faint "Fire Rocco" Baldelli chants at Target Field the past week. Baldelli is under contract through the 2025 season.
The Twins lost stars Byron Buxton, Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa to injuries throughout the season, the pitching staff couldn’t stay fully-healthy and the bullpen faltered at key moments.
What’s next
The season will end Sunday against the Orioles. It remains to be seen what changes are coming. Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey told reporters before Sunday's game that Baldelli will return as manager in 2025.
"He is my manager," Falvey said.
Joe Pohlad, part of the Twins' ownership group, also announced Sunday that Falvey will be back next season.
"I don't judge employees off of six crummy weeks. He's got eight years of a resume and I talk with Derek daily, so I know what he's doing. He's the right guy," Pohlad told reporters.