This marked the return of outdoor professional baseball to the state of Minnesota for the first time since the end of the 1981 season, the last played at Metropolitan Stadium.

The Twins clinched their sixth American League Central championship in nine seasons on September 21 after a win against the Cleveland Indians and a Chicago White Sox loss.

Their new home outfits as well as their alternate uniforms feature a redesigned primary wordmark that was shown for the first time as a sign was hoisted into place atop the scoreboard at Target Field in May 2009.

Before spring training, the Twins parted ways with 2009 trade deadline acquisition Orlando Cabrera, who would go on to sign a free agent deal with the Cincinnati Reds.

[3] General Manager Bill Smith addressed these questions by trading center fielder Carlos Gómez to the Milwaukee Brewers for shortstop J. J. Hardy,[4] and signing free agent second baseman Orlando Hudson.

[5] Smith also added some power to the bench by acquiring free agent and former White Sox and Indians designated hitter Jim Thome.

Later, the Twins traded catcher Wilson Ramos and Joe Testa to the Washington Nationals to acquire Matt Capps to bolster the bullpen.

On April 28, third baseman Luke Hughes hit a home run in his first-ever major league at bat, joining four other Twins who've accomplished the feat: Rick Renick (1968), Dave McKay (1975), Gary Gaetti (1981) and Andre David (1984).