Saturday, 1:15 p.m., FS1: RHP Bailey Ober (12-9, 3.98) vs. RHP Erick Fedde (9-9, 3.30)
Sunday, 1:10 p.m.: RHP Joe Ryan (7-7, 3.60) vs. RHP Andre Pallante (8-8, 3.78)
Twins update: This is the earliest season opener in franchise history and the second time (Milwaukee, 2021) they have opened against a National League team. … Ryan will make his first regular-season appearance since Aug. 7. He pitched only eight innings after Aug. 1 last season because of a muscle strain in his shoulder. … The Twins lost two of three games to the Cardinals last season at Target Field and are 20-19 all-time in interleague play against the Cardinals, including 10-14 in St. Louis. The Twins won two of three from the Cardinals in 2023 in St. Louis … and, of course, beat the Cards to win the 1987 World Series.
Cardinals update: They are also playing the earliest opener in franchise history. … The Cards were 83-79 last season and tied the Chicago Cubs for second place in the NL Central, 10 games behind first-place Milwaukee. … St. Louis has had only two losing seasons since 2000 (71-91 in 2023 and 78-84 in 2007) and had a quiet offseason, signing relief pitcher Phil Maton as their only move. … Fedde begins his first full season with the Cardinals after being acquired from the Chicago White Sox on July 29. He was 7-4 for the White Sox before the trade. Fedde was 1-0 with a 1.06 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 17 innings in three starts — two with the White Sox and one with the Cardinals — against the Twins last season. He struck out 16 in 11 innings in two starts with the White Sox. He pitched five shutout innings in a 3-1 victory over the Twins on July 10. He allowed one run and two hits and struck out seven with a no-decision in the Cardinals’ 3-2 victory on Aug. 25.
Injuries: Twins 3B Royce Lewis (hamstring), IF Brooks Lee (back), RP Brock Stewart (hamstring) and RP Michael Tonkin (shoulder) are out.
Joel Rippel of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this report