Apr 1, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz (2) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers in the third inning at American Family Field. Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Preview: Rays vs Twins in Series Opener

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Apr 3, 2026 11:00 AM ET

The Tampa Bay Rays are getting ready for the final three games of their nine-game road trip with a weekend series against the Minnesota Twins. Following losing their first two series of the year, the Rays will be hungry to win this one.

It has not been an ideal start to the season for Tampa Bay. Despite having a lead in every game in their series against the St. Louis Cardinals, they lost two out of three games, with the bullpen blowing two games. Following that series was a challenging one against a good Milwaukee Brewers team, in which they also lost two out of three games.

Now, they will have the opportunity to end what hasn’t been a great road trip so far on a positive note. The Twins are expected to be one of the worst teams in baseball, and winning this series can quickly turn a bad road trip into one that was salvaged. With Tampa Bay in search of their first series win of the campaign, here’s how to watch the opener against the Twins on Friday.

Who: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Minnesota Twins

When: April 3rd, 2026, 4:10 PM EST

Where: Target Field, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Television: MLB.TV, Rays.TV, Twins.TV

Yandy Díaz. The man that you are. pic.twitter.com/fshbkYBIAa
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 1, 2026

With the Rays now six games in, the starting rotation will be going through their second go through. That means it will be Joe Boyle getting the start for Tampa Bay, and the right-hander will be looking to continue to make an impression on the team.

The 26-year-old is in the rotation, filling in for Ryan Pepiot, and his first start of the season against the Cardinals was a good one. In that game, he went six innings and allowed just two runs. While his future in the rotation is uncertain when Pepiot comes back, continuing to put good starts together will be key.

Furthermore, the lineup has seen some good things from a couple of key players with Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda off to hot starts. These two have been leading the way for the franchise so far and carrying a lineup that has shown some good signs.

While there have been some good things so far despite the losing record, all eyes will be on the bullpen in this series. Expected closer Griffin Jax has struggled, and as arguably the best pitcher in the bullpen, that is a major concern. With an ERA over 20.00, the right-hander will need to get going quickly if he wants to knock that large number down.

This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Rays on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: