The Minnesota Twins might've lost on Sunday for the first time in two weeks, but winning 13 games in a row helped catapult them to second place in an extremely competitive AL Central division. One of the teams they passed was the Cleveland Guardians, who entered Monday's series opener at Target Field just 0.5 games behind Minnesota.
The Guardians started fast on Monday, scoring a run against Bailey Ober, but the Twins pushed back against Logan Allen, pushing across a run in the first and second innings before the tarp went onto the field. The game officially entered a rain delay.
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Update: Play is officially set to resume in the bottom of the second inning after being delayed for a little over an hour.
Update No. 2: After just 20 minutes, the tarp is back on the field. The Twins and Guardians have completed three innings and are entering their second delay. Check back at this article for the latest updates.
Update No. 3: The game has been suspended due to rain. Since five innings weren't completed, the game will pick up in the fourth inning at 5:10 p.m. CT. The regularly scheduled game will begin 30 minutes after the first game concludes.
Twins vs. Guardians rain delay: What's Monday's forecast in Minnesota?
Unfortunately, the Minneapolis forecast is far from ideal. It's raining now, and according to the Weather.com hourly forecast, showers aren't supposed to completely subside until after 11:00 p.m. ET. The game can be played in lighter rain, but by removing the tarp and restarting the game, they risk heavier rain picking up and delaying the game for a second time. The delay could be a long one, depending how much rain they're comfortable playing in.
Unfortunately, rain delays are nothing new for either of these teams. They've both dealt with plenty of rain this season, and especially in games against each other. They will only add to their delay time total tonight.
What time do the Twins and Guardians resume play today?
Monday's game began on time, but the delay interrupted things just half an hour or so after first pitch. Now, it's anyone's best guess as to when play will be resumed. Again, it all depends on how much rain they're comfortable playing in. It could be a while.
When play does ultimately resume, it's entirely possible we'll see both teams go to their bullpens. It's incredibly rare to see teams turn to their starting pitchers after long rain delays. If this does become a battle of the bullpens, the Twins should have the pitching advantage. Their bullpen ranks third in the majors with a 2.89 ERA, while the Guardians' bullpen has disappointed after a ridiculously good year in 2024, posting a 4.06 ERA (18th in MLB) thus far.