MILWAUKEE - The Twins lineup is posted for the season opener at American Family Field against the Brewers (1:10 p.m., BSN).
Luis Arraez will lead off, play left field as Twins meet Brewers in 2021 Opener
Kenta Maeda, runnerup for the AL Cy Young Award in 2020, gets the start on the mound.
April 1, 2021 at 2:48PM
Luis Arraez, the team's new super utilityman, will start in left field and hit in the leadoff spot.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said he anticipated Arraez leading off frequently this season, adding late bench coach Mike Bell was an advocate of moving former leadoff man Max Kepler into more of an RBI spot. Kepler will bat fifth today, behind cleanup hitter Miguel Sano.
With no designated hitter in today's game, Nelson Cruz will sit and starting pitcher Kenta Maeda will have to hit. It's the first time the Twins have opened against an NL team, and since it's on the road, it'll be the first time the Twins have opened the season without a DH since 1973, when the DH was introduced.
It's Maeda's first Opening Day start in the majors, although he was an Opening Day starter five times in Japan.
Twins pitchers have hit .138 in interleague games since 1997 with 193 strikeouts in 443 at-bats. The Twins were 13-7 in interleague play last year (vs. NL Central teams) and are 219-203 all-time.
TWINS LINEUP
Luis Arraez, LF
Josh Donaldson, 3B
Jorge Polanco, 2B
Miguel Sano, 1B
Max Kepler, RF
Mitch Garver, C
Byron Buxton, CF
Andrelton Simmons, SS
Kenta Maeda, P
BREWERS LINEUP
Kolten Wong, 2B
Keston Hiura, 1B
Christian Yelich, LF
Avisail Garcia, RF
Travis Shaw, 3B
Lorenzo Cain, CF
Omar Narvaez, C
Luis Urias, SS
Brandon Woodruff, P
Check out our season previews here.
La Velle is here as the columnist and had some interesting things to say on Michael Rand's Daily Delivery podcast this morning.
Pablo López will face Kutter Crawford in the first game while Zebby Matthews is matched against Nick Pivetta in the nightcap as the Twins try to hang on to a wild card spot.
