In their home opener against the Houston Astros, the Minnesota Twins faced early setbacks due to costly balks by pitcher Joe Ryan, leading to a 5-2 defeat. The Twins started strong with a two-run lead, powered by Matt Wallner's triple and Trevor Larnach's RBI. However, the Astros quickly responded, scoring five unanswered runs, including two home runs from Christian Walker and Jeremy Peña. Despite a promising start, the Twins struggled offensively, managing just two hits after the first inning.

The game saw 36,783 fans at Target Field, but the energy shifted when Ryan's balk allowed Astros to score, turning a tied game into a loss. Houston's Hunter Brown kept the Twins at bay, striking out eight across six innings. The Twins' early momentum was lost as the Astros capitalized on their errors, showcasing a decisive win without the help of star player José Altuve, who struck out five times.