ANAHEIM -- Before the Twins took the field at Angel Stadium on Thursday night, the clubhouse welcomed back No. 29.
Hall of Famer Rod Carew dressed in uniform for the afternoon, spending time with players in the batting cages and sitting in on pregame team meetings ahead of the Twins' series opener against the Angels.
The setting itself came with plenty of history.
As an 18-time All-Star and seven-time batting champion, Carew remains a central figure for both the Twins and Halos, with his No. 29 retired by both clubs. He spent his first 12 seasons in Minnesota, winning the 1967 American League Rookie of the Year Award and 1977 AL MVP Award, before playing his final seven seasons with the Angels, recording his 3,000th career hit on Aug. 4, 1985, against those very same Twins.
While Carew’s public appearances are less frequent these days -- with one of his most notable coming when he joined fellow Twins icons Joe Mauer, Bert Blyleven and Paul Molitor at the Field of Dreams Game in Dyersville, Iowa -- Thursday offered something a little more intimate.
For Twins manager Derek Shelton, who first developed a friendship with Carew as a bench coach for Minnesota in 2018, having Carew in uniform is a direct tie to the franchise's standard.
"So much," Shelton said when asked what Carew’s presence means to the club. "When I was here as a bench coach in ‘18, Rod and I were able to develop a friendship, which means a ton to me. I can't imagine ... growing up as a 10- or 11-year-old kid that Rod Carew would be someone I consider a friend, but for him to be out here -- I think it's really important for young players to understand not only the history of the game, but the history of this organization."
For Shelton, having Carew in uniform isn't just about nostalgia -- it's about the value of having a franchise legend actively present around the team.
"We're talking about one of the greatest players in our organization," Shelton said. "We're talking about no one will wear the number 29. ... I mean, [he’s] an 18-time All-Star. He's in the Hall of Fame. He loves the game. He's got opinions about the game, which I love. So really excited to have Rod here."
Inside the clubhouse, current players welcomed the opportunity to talk hitting and learn from one of the game's best.
For reliever Taylor Rogers, seeing Carew brought back memories of his own early years with Minnesota -- and the team's work with Carew’s "Heart of 29" cardiovascular health campaign.
"It's awesome to see him. Seeing him in good health is awesome, too," Rogers said. "I remember all the Heart of 29 stuff we used to do. And early in my career, one of the first couple of Spring Trainings, he taught all the pitchers how to bunt. So that's always kind of cool to think about, too. You learn a bunt from the best bunter of all time. Really special seeing him."
When asked about his own bunting skills, Rogers smiled: "Never had to try it. But yeah, hey, any information you can get from a guy like that, you take it."
Catcher Ryan Jeffers highlighted the value and rarity of having access to a Hall of Famer who compiled a .328 career batting average and 3,053 hits.
"Yeah, I think it's always crazy when you have Hall of Famers walking around," Jeffers said. "And not only just Hall of Famers, but then ones that have been as accomplished as he has. It's awesome, you try and find a moment to have a conversation and just pick his brain and listen to him talk baseball. It's just a really cool experience."