Let's Road Trip Twins 2025: Trip #2 - The Royal Mistreatment?

[Steven Trefz]

After welcoming the Astros to Target Field for the home opener, the Twins immediately take off again for a rare four-game, one-town trip to the home of the upstart Kansas City Royals. Will Minnesota be able to start hot in KC like they have the past few years? Or will 2025 be the year the Royals officially stop rolling out the red carpet for their division rivals?

Image courtesy of © Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

A one-town road trip doesn't usually swing the momentum too much one way or the other, but it can wear out a ballclub more quickly than its worth. This 872 mile round trip to Kansas City is the second divisional series of the young season, and it offers and extended look at the full rotation and offense that the Royals are bringing to the table in 2025.

Kansas City Royals - April 7-10
Kauffman Stadium - Capacity 37,903
2024 Attendance: 1,658,337 (Averaged 20,473, ranked 12th out of 15 AL parks, 26th overall MLB)

The Twins opened 2024 with two outstanding pitching performances at Kauffmann Stadium and two victories to start the season. They wouldn't taste victory in Kansas City again in 2024, dropping the final four contests and only scoring two more runs in the process (outscored 22-2!). The Royals and Twins have battled at Kauffman Stadium since 1973, and the head to head record matches the ups and downs that both franchises have experienced since then. In 408 games played at Kauffmann Stadium, the Twins have won 194, and lost 214. The Twins haven't won season's road battle with the Royals since 2019 in fact, and they will face a stiff task to reverse that trend in 2025.

Kauffman's first Season of use was 1973 (Royals Stadium) with artificial turf, renamed Kauffman Stadium in 1994 after the team's first owner.  Kentucky bluegrass replaced the turf in 1995.  Folks hoping to check this one off your bucket list better hurry up, as they still trying to work out a Target Field-style move to downtown with the city/county.

It has an open bowl format, and is southeast of Kansas City in a complex with the Kansas City Chiefs stadium. Parking is ample and easy, but spendy. The field has a beautiful outfield area, which reminded me of Fort Myers actually with its lack of seating and open boardwalk vibe.

Kauffman resides outside of the pace of Kansas City, so tour guides send a journeyer into town for BBQ and night life. There is still a hotel in walking distance to the park, but obviously many more places to stay in the metro area proper. Twins fans usually represent well at Kauffman, so you be brave and wear your gear! You'll probably also make a friend or two in the process. Let's just hope the Royals play as friendly...

From Kansas City the Twins journey back to Target Field for their first taste of the Tigers and three games with Juan Soto and the New York Mets. What kind of record will the Twins take home with them? How do you think this first trip to Kansas City will go?

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Let's Road Trip is a series of stories exploring the Twins' 14 road trips during the 2025 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.

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[ashbury]

One of my favorite stadiums - the family-friendly energy in the concourse is infectious for me even though I'm well past the child-rearing stage of life.  See this ballpark again while you can.

[Riverbrian]

I enjoy this series of Articles. 

Kansas City is certainly a top ten ballpark on my list of all that I have visited (26 of them). 

I'd subjectively rank it 7th. 

It's hot so I do recommend going to the game naked.  

 

[ashbury]

3 minutes ago, Riverbrian said:

I enjoy this series of Articles. 

Kansas City is certainly a top ten ballpark on my list of all that I have visited (26 of them). 

I'd subjectively rank it 7th. 

It's hot so I do recommend going to the game naked.  

 

In unrelated news, I do not recommend visiting Kansas City when Riverbrian is in town.

[IndianaTwin]

9 hours ago, Riverbrian said:

I enjoy this series of Articles. 

Kansas City is certainly a top ten ballpark on my list of all that I have visited (26 of them). 

I'd subjectively rank it 7th. 

It's hot so I do recommend going to the game naked.  

 

Is there a 75 percent like button? 

[IndianaTwin]

Agree on the beauty of this stadium. It's definitely top five for me. As turf stadiums went, it was decent when it opened, but with each significant remodel, it's gotten better. In my mind, it will be a huge loss if it gets replaced. Royal/Kauffman holds a particular place in my heart, which I wrote about this winter. When I visited last summer, a fan relations employee went out of his way to make it a great experience. If you'd like to read it, it's the "And so concludes my Golden Anniversary" in the Blog section.*  

If you visit town, be sure to also visit the Negro League Baseball Museum. Then walk up the street to Arthur Bryant's for barbecue. I know there's other places in town that have their aficionados, and I like some of those as well,** but to truly experience the 18th & Vine District, it's the obvious choice.***

*I guess to be clear, I should say that's it's there whether or not you'd like to read it. That's really a silly thing we say, now that I think about it.

**Gates and Sons, LC's, Woodyard, Joe's, Que 39, Jack Stack.  

***There may or may not be a bottle of Arthur Bryant's Original sauce and another of their Rich and Spicy in my fridge right now.