Weather pushes Twins season opener back one day, to Friday

That seven-year contract Byron Buxton signed last November has triggered an unanticipated transformation in the Georgia native: He's a Minnesotan now.

"This year, this isn't that cold to me," Buxton said Wednesday after catching fly balls and taking batting practice in drizzly, 38-degree weather at Target Field. "Normally, I would come [here] and I'm freezing, but mentality-wise, you start to realize it doesn't matter. You've got to go out there regardless of how cold it is. I can't wait — whether it's snowing or not, I'm ready to play."

Unfortunately for Buxton, not everyone is. Overnight forecasts of extended snow showers and temperatures falling even lower caused the Twins to delay their 2022 opener from Thursday to 3:10 p.m. Friday, when the new Target Field turf will at least be drier, if no warmer.

It's the third home opener to be postponed in Twins' history, and the first at the downtown ballpark. Snow delayed the 1962 opener by a day at Metropolitan Stadium, and freezing temperatures and wet grass forced the Twins' first two home games in 1972 to be made up in August and September.

"It doesn't affect almost anything on our end. It might actually be more helpful than anything else," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "The extra day allows [time] to settle in a little bit for guys that haven't been here before."

The Twins held an afternoon workout on Wednesday and will try to hold another one on Thursday if the snow doesn't prevent it. The Mariners, who flew directly here from their spring camp in Peoria, Ariz., on Wednesday, might work out, as well.

Chris Archer threw 50-55 pitches in Fort Myers on Wednesday, and Baldelli said his report from pitching coach Wes Johnson, who stayed behind in Florida to supervise the bullpen session, was very positive.

"Wes was like, 'I know we're on the back field, but this couldn't have gone any better,' " Baldelli said of the veteran righthander, who agreed to a Twins contract just eight days ago. "He looked great. This is a great addition for us going into the season. I know he signed late, but he came in as prepared as anybody."

Archer, who flew to Minnesota with Johnson after his workout, is scheduled to make his Twins debut Tuesday against the Dodgers.

The Twins came north with 30 players still on their active spring training roster, and despite the rainout, they still must whittle that down to 28 by noon CDT on Thursday. Righthanded reliever Cody Stashak is expected to go on the injured list with biceps tendonitis, leaving one more cut still to make.

As of Wednesday evening, the decision had not been announced.

"There's still about a half-dozen guys that are up here that I have not had the final conversation with to let them know their roster status," Baldelli said. "I know it's difficult. We really don't have a choice right now. We're working through some of the final decisions, and one of those, whatever the decision may be, is going to affect some other guys."

Absent a trade or waiver claim from another team's roster, the decision likely comes down to Brent Rooker vs. Kyle Garlick for the final spot, since Baldelli said the Twins have resigned themselves to needing 16 pitchers to get through April, as they build up their arms for the season.

"It sounds like a lot of pitchers because it is a lot of pitchers, but we're going to find ways to use these guys," Baldelli said. "If we didn't think we were going to need them [to] give us real innings, we wouldn't carry them."