Though none of the Twins' 16 games scheduled for Target Field in April were played, Major League Baseball officially lists them as "postponed" by the coronavirus pandemic, with makeup dates to come. But MLB will bow, at least informally, to an obvious reality this week — those games will never be played.
The league has given the go-ahead for teams to begin offering refunds or other incentives to fans who bought tickets for those canceled games. The Twins will announce their coronavirus ticket policy Wednesday, presumably with refunds or credits for single-game ticket-buyers, and additional benefits for season-ticket holders who choose to keep their payments in the Twins' hands.
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MLB had hoped to issue a blanket policy for all 30 clubs, but the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that after several discussions, the league decided to allow each team to decide how to handle canceled games. The Twins have almost 13,000 season-ticket holders, and already had sold hundreds of thousands of single-game tickets. Team President Dave St. Peter said earlier this year that the team was projecting home attendance to reach 2.5 million fans this year, the team's best showing at Target Field since 2012.
It's unlikely many MLB games will be played in front of fans, if the season is played at all. MLB is exploring the possibility of a shortened season, perhaps beginning in July, as the virus lockdowns are gradually lifted around the country.
PHIL MILLER
