Johan Santana hasn't thrown a pitch in Minnesota since he left following the 2007 season. Thanks to the arrival of season-long interleague play to Major League Baseball in 2013, he'll get that chance.

Santana and the New York Mets visit Target Field on April 12. That's right, April. Thanks to Houston joining the American League, interleague play will be sprinkled throughout the six-month schedule - although the Twins won't face a NL team over the final two months.

The Twins are matched up with the N.L. East as interleague partners for the most part. In one unfortunate development, the Interstate 94 series between the Twins and Brewers has been shrunk to a pair of two-game sets May 27-30.

(note to self: embrace Houston as an AL team)

In addition to two-game series against Milwaukee, the Twins have home-and-home two-game series against Ozzie Guillen.

Another thing: The Twins will play 31 of their 81 home games in April or September. They play nine - nine - home games in July.

Also, the league has decided to poke Mother Nature with a stick, as Twins open the season at home, on April 1, against Detroit. Since moving to Target Field in 2010, the Twins started the season on the road.

The Twins haven't played host to the Yankees yet this season. Next season, New York will visit the Twins July 1-4.