Twins to open 2019 season at home in March

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - The Minnesota Twins will open their season at home next year and you might need to bundle up if you are planning to go. 

Opening Day will be on Thursday, March 28, 2019 against the Cleveland Indians--a full week earlier than the 2018 home opener. It will be the first time ever the Twins will play outdoors at home in the third month of the year. 

Officials say the unusually early start is the result of the NCAA Final Four taking over downtown Minneapolis the first weekend of April. The team did not want to begin their season on a massive road trip.

At last year's home opener on April 5, crews were still removing snow from the field. The game came close to breaking the record for coldest home opener, which was 33 degrees on April 14, 1962.

“Actually the end of March, the average temperature is near 50 degrees," Twins communications director Dustin Morse said. "Of course, you don’t know what the weather will be in March versus April. But, we’re excited to play baseball here and open at Target Field.”

The Twins and their fans insist they are ready for whatever Mother Nature throws their way. 

"If it's a little cold, it's a little cold," Chad Stelter, a fan, said. "We're coming off the Super Bowl. We're the Bold North. It's all good." 

The Twins will face the Cleveland Indians for the first three games of the season on March 28, 30 and 31. The rest of the 2019 schedule has also been released and season tickets for the 2019 season are on sale.