Target Field Crowd Noise “a Weapon” that Made Pickoff Play Possible vs Blue Jays

By Eric Strack |

Updated: Oct 5, 2023

The Minnesota Twins won their first playoff series since 2002 this week, in their 2-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL Wildcard round of the MLB Playoffs, exorcising 21 years of postseason demons in just two afternoon baseball games at Target Field.

Target Field crowd helps lead Minnesota Twins to Wildcard win

And Twins fans showed up at 1 Twins Way ready to perform an exorcism, leaving both the home and away teams stunned at the amount of energy reverberating through the 13-year-old downtown baseball stadium. Rocco Baldelli commented on the atmosphere after both wins but had extra fervor to his postgame speech following the game 2 victory.

Rocco Baldelli on the playoff atmosphere Twins fans brought to Target Field, “it’s a weapon.” pic.twitter.com/JMbWnakWD0
— Baseball Is Dead (@baseballisdead_) October 4, 2023

Rocco Baldelli called the Target Field crowd "a weapon" after Wednesday's win over the Blue Jays. #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/Wv3NPXT1qZ
— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) October 5, 2023

“Our crowd, it’s a weapon. It’s a weapon for us. I mean, they’re still going right now. They were going before the first pitch. The crowd just never stopped. It affects us, in a good way, it affects the other team… it’s a weapon.“

Target Field fans get assist for game-changing pickoff

Not only was the Target Field crowd a weapon that could be felt throughout the series, it made a measurable difference on Wednesday, when Sonny Gray and Carlos Correa hooked up for a 5th inning pickoff play that ended the biggest threat Toronto mounted on the night.

Correa noticed earlier in the game that Blue Jays baserunners could not hear their 3rd base coach, because the Target Field crowd was too loud. That led to the inning-ending pickoff that will be talked about by Minnesota Twins fans forever.

Correa and Gray both confirmed after the game that Correa notified him after the first inning that the crowd was making it difficult on the baserunners and that led to the called the pickoff play in the 5th.

GOT 'EM#MNTwins | #WeBelieveinTC

🎥: @MLB pic.twitter.com/SdCtJ6LD7z
— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) October 4, 2023

Sonny Gray says Carlos Correa called the pickoff play on Vlad Guerrero Jr. He told him the Blue Jays couldn’t hear their third base coach tell “back” because #MNTwins fans were so loud. @FOX9 pic.twitter.com/9g9DwVGlQb
— Jeff Wald (@JeffWaldFox9) October 5, 2023

We all thought that the big Minnesota Twins homefield playoff advantage imploded with the Metrodome but, clearly, Target Field can have the same effect as long as fans bring it like they did during the ALWC.

The Twins will get at least two more home games next series vs the Houston Astros, in their best-of-5 series.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan