Why fly to the Pacific Ocean just to turn around and head to Lake Michigan without an off day in between? Doesn’t matter. It has to happen, and it has to go well if the Twins want to stay on top.
Los Angeles Angels – April 26-28
Angel Stadium: Capacity 45,517
2023 Attendance: 2,640,575, up from 2,457,261 in 2022 (Averaged 32,599, ranked 6th out of 15 AL teams, 13th overall MLB)
To say that Angel Stadium exists because Disney exists isn’t an overstatement. The birth of Disneyland in 1955 led to the pursuit of community development in the Anaheim area. In 1966, that development took the form of a baseball stadium, then known as Anaheim Stadium. The 1980s brought a change in architecture, as the NFL’s Rams filled in the outfield seating area to increase capacity. In 1998, though, the Angels returned to the open-concept outfield, as the Disney corporation placed its imprint upon the setting and installed the “Outfield Extravaganza” rock pile in left-center field.
Mike Trout hits baseballs there for a living. Shohei Ohtani used to do so, too–no small feat for a left-handed batter, but part of the show until Ohtani departed for the real city of Los Angeles this winter. Attendance remains high, despite the club’s losing ways, but the loss of Ohtani is going to hurt. Most of the Angels fans in attendance at the Twins series there last April were sporting Ohtani jerseys and living and dying on every sighting. Now its all Trout, and while he’s been a generational talent, he’s also been injured quite often. Will Miguel Sanó or Aaron Hicks be there to greet the Twins when they come calling this season? Only time will tell.
Chilly nights in the early and late parts of the season make it advisable to layer up if you choose to attend. While the days are Chamber of Commerce beautiful and mid-70s, the nights will remind Twins fans of home. Angel Stadium contains some connection to Twins lore, as it was the ballpark that stole Torii Hunter from us, and the site of the beginning of our playoff futility in 2002 (technically, the futility started in Game 2 at the Metrodome, but I’m gonna go ahead and blame Angel Stadium since the Dome is no longer around to defend itself). In 2019, the Bomba Squad launched eight homers during a game at Anaheim en route to their record-breaking season. The Twins dropped two of three last year in Anaheim, as injuries and bullpen woes took a toll.
Having a car is the name of the game when traveling around Angel Stadium. With Disneyland right around the corner, there is no shortage of hotel options in. Trying to join the Twins for the whole road trip gets expensive and extensive, however, because as soon as Sunday afternoon’s game is over, its “wheels up” and 2,008 miles to a Monday night affair in the Windy City!
Chicago White Sox – April 29-May 1
Guaranteed Rate Field: Capacity 40,615
2023 Attendance: 1,669,628, down from 1,936,798 in 2022 (Averaged 21,405, ranked 11th out of 15 AL teams, 24th overall MLB)
The artist formerly known as New Comiskey Park & The “Cell” has been around since 1991, but South Side Chicago baseball has been cooking since 1910. While the new stadium resides in a residential area, it carries a “big” stadium vibe compared to its North Side counterpart. Sharing an owner allows you to also buy Bulls gear at the ballpark, which works for me. The White Sox are posturing for a new stadium further north, in the city’s South Loop, but with the Bears also jockeying for priority and financing, it’s not clear when or if new digs will come to fruition. They saw decreased attendance last year, and if that trend continues with more poor play in 2024, the stadium is in no position to draw in fans on its own.
The upper deck of Guaranteed Rate Field leans into the “upper” definition, while the bleachers get hot…but probably not in April. In the 2000s, a person could shower on the outfield walkway. I’m not sure who thought that was a great idea, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t try it out one blistering August afternoon.
Specific memories and tastes call out to me from my time in Chicago: Giordano’s pizza, the NU library (nerd out zone), Lake Michigan, Soldier Field and the Museum campus, Sears Tower (to blend in, resist the temptation to call it by its new corporate name), and the Magnificent Mile. The smell of the L-Train platforms wafting in the Lake Shore breeze. The early-season angst of White Sox fans. With this being a Monday-Wednesday series in late April, I’m guessing there should be quite a few good seats available. Just remember that getting a lower-level ticket is worth the extra price!
Who will actually be playing for Chicago by the time the Twins arrive? Your guess is as good as mine. Will Dylan Cease be traded by the start of the season? Will Luis Robert or Eloy Jiménez still be healthy? Who will be the new bullpen stars, now that Liam Hendricks is in different colored Sox?
The Twins will be traveling 4,336 miles for 6 games, 0 off days, and ____ wins?
The Twins have a chance to head into May having put the White Sox in their place, and having padded their stats against the Angels’ transitional team. But at over 4,300 total miles in six days, this trip also has a chance to sabotage any early momentum.
How do you think the Twins will fare on this quick boomerang trip? Anyone planning to go to either series? Any favorite watering holes or tourist traps? Baseball is almost here Twins Territory…let’s get talking!
Let’s Road Trip is a series of stories exploring the Twins’ 13 road trips during the 2024 season. I will focus on stadium highlights, attributes, Twins history, and community amenities. Potential pitfalls and roadblocks get considered, and travel considerations get mentioned. My handy-dandy Baseball Road Trips by Timothy Malcolm and Moon travel guides will be a go-to for this conversation.