Going to a Twins day game at Target Field? The coolest seats here are on the first-base side and behind home plate. Our 3D model ray-traces every row, and the first-base Lower and Club levels hold shade ~81% of a day game, because the park faces due east.
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▶ Hit Play to watch the shade sweep across the Target Field bowl. Want to set your exact game date & first pitch? Open the full map ↗
Home plate at Target Field faces roughly due east, which shifts the shade toward the first-base side. As the afternoon sun climbs and swings west, the first-base Lower and Club levels and the seats behind home plate hold shade the longest, while the third-base/left-field side takes more sun. Minneapolis runs cooler than most, but a clear summer afternoon still favors the shaded first-base side.
These are the share of a typical early-afternoon game each zone holds shade in our 3D model, based on the seating-bowl geometry and the sun's real path, not a specific day's clouds:
| Section area | Level | Shaded for… |
|---|---|---|
| First-base side | Lower & Club | ~81% of the game |
| Behind home plate | Lower & Club | ~70-73% |
| Right-field line | Lower | ~63% |
| Third-base side | Lower & Club | ~51-56%, more sun |
| Upper deck | Upper | Mostly sun, avoid for shade |
Percentages are for a typical 1:10 PM start in midsummer; your exact game may differ. Plug your date and first pitch into the live map for a per-row read.
If shade is the priority at Target Field, aim for the first-base side with a deck overhead. The best bets:
| Seats | Why they're shaded |
|---|---|
| First-base side, Lower & Club level | The east-facing orientation shades them longest; ~81% |
| Behind home plate, back rows of the Lower/Club | Upper-deck overhang shades them as the sun moves west |
| Covered club levels behind the plate | Set back and covered, reliably cool |
The third-base and left-field side takes more of the afternoon sun here, and the upper deck is largely open. Front rows everywhere stay exposed until late. Minneapolis is cooler than most MLB cities, so shade matters a bit less, but a clear midday game still warms up.
The first-base side and the seats behind home plate. Home plate faces roughly due east, so as the afternoon sun swings west, the first-base Lower and Club levels hold shade the longest, around 81% of a typical day game in our model. The third-base/left-field side takes more sun.
First-base side Lower and Club level, and the back rows behind home plate under the upper-deck overhang. The covered club levels behind the plate stay coolest.
The third-base/left-field side, the upper deck, and the front rows. They take the afternoon sun for most of a day game.
For afternoon starts, target the first-base Lower and Club levels or a covered club behind the plate. For night games the sun sets low and the bowl shades within an inning or two, and Minneapolis evenings cool off fast. The interactive tool models any start time and the live weather.
Shade predictions come from a 3D ray-traced model of the seating bowl combined with the exact solar position for your date and time. The bowl geometry is a calibrated approximation, so use the map to pick a side, level and row range, then confirm the precise seat on a ticket map. Independent tool; not affiliated with MLB or the Twins.
The rest of the AL Central, same treatment:
Target Field ranks #13 of 30 for sun exposure in MLB: the average seat sits in direct sunlight for about 121 of a 190-minute day game, or 63.6% of it. Full ranking and method in the sunniest seats in baseball.