Let's Road Trip 2024: Trip #8 - East to West Again, Chicago & San Francisco (July 8-14)

There might not be a better summer city in the United States than Minneapolis, but if there is one, it's Chicago. Even in the swelter of July, it's a treat.

Chicago White Sox – July 8-10
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 Twins make their second and final journey to the South Side to kick off the last road trip before the All-Star break. For more information on Guaranteed Rate Field, feel free to check out my previous notes on the third road trip of the 2024 season. For now, let’s focus on how this particular trip is different than the one in late April.

Nothing will be surprising by the time this series rolls around, for this will be the third time the squads have faced off. What might be new is the intrigue of the trade deadline, as the White Sox are odds-on favorites to be cellar dwellers, and the Twins should be looking to add to their strengths for a playoff run.

The weather should be gorgeous, and the tickets should be easy to come by. Will the stadium drama be solved by then, or will it still be a topic looming over the hosts? Either way, the Twins need to make hay while the sun shines in Chicago, because they have a long way to go to reach their next destination: San Francisco!

San Francisco Giants – July 12-14
Oracle Park: Capacity 41,265
2023 Attendance: 2,500,153, up from 2,482,686 in 2022 (Averaged 30,806, 10th in NL and 17th overall MLB)

The Twins last visited Oracle Park way back in 2017, when the likes of Ervin Santana and José Berríos were providing a veteran and youth 1-2 punch in the rotation. Minnesota took two out of three then, but managed to drop two of three at home to a struggling Giants squad last season.

Baseball and San Francisco have a long history, but the most recent iteration dates back to 1957, when the New York Giants joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in heading west for new opportunity and greener financial pastures. The Dodgers and Giants have kept the rivalry ridiculously strong, and both have seen great success in recent decades.

In 1989, the Giants were getting ready to host the Athletics at Candlestick park for Game 3 of the World Series, when the Loma Prieta earthquake struck and tragically shook up the series. That was back when the team called Candlestick Park home. Barry Bonds infamously broke records into the Bay in the 2000s, and championships finally arrived in the 2010s, with three titles in five seasons.

Oracle Park opened in 2000, and people have been raving about it ever since. Whether it’s the temperate and pleasant weather, the majestic views of the San Francisco Bay, McCovey Cove and its baseball-hunting kayakers, or the food and beverage options that are second to none, that one is a must-see destination.

The product on the field will be mid-level for the Giants this season, as their attempts to bring in elite free agents have mostly been rebuffed. The Giants notoriously signed Carlos Correa before the 2022 campaign to a historic contract, only to back out of it within a week over injury concerns. They signed three impressive free agents this winter (Jung Hoo Lee, Jorge Soler, and Matt Chapman), but they've missed out on their truly titanic swings, from Correa to Aaron Judge to Shohei Ohtani.

How will Correa be received in his return to the Bay? Will ex-Twin Taylor Rogers still be manning the bullpen with his brother Trevor, and will ex-Twin LaMonte Wade Jr.’s star still be on the rise?

The Twins will be traveling 4,609 miles for 6 games, 1 off day, and ____ wins?

The All-Star Break will greet the Twins after enduring three massive road trips in a row. With the games starting again back at Target Field July 20, the team has 10 straight days of home cooking to which to look forward. Will they be returning home triumphant? Or will the White Sox and Giants play spoilers heading into the break? Anyone planning to go to either series? Any favorite watering holes or tourist traps? 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.