Royals-Twins opener postponed by rain, doubleheader set for Saturday

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins postponed their game against the Kansas City Royals on Friday night because of stormy weather, scheduling a straight doubleheader on Saturday instead to start the series.

With darkened skies above Target Field and a steady rain just beginning to fall, the Twins called off the game right around the scheduled first pitch. This was Minnesota’s first postponed game of the 2020 season that began four months late due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The doubleheader will start on Saturday at 12:35 p.m., with the second half of the twinbill scheduled to begin 30 minutes following the end of the first game. All doubleheaders in Major League Baseball during this virus-shortened 60-game season are seven-inning games.

The Twins and Royals will continue their four-game series on Sunday and Monday. The Royals swept a three-game set from the Twins in Kansas City last weekend.

Jake Odorizzi was scheduled to start for the Twins on Friday. The Royals were planning to use Ian Kennedy as an opener, followed by Jakob Junis as the primary pitcher.

The Twins will send Odorizzi to the mound for the first game on Saturday, followed by José Berríos.