Opener roundup: Ohtani shifts to DH role as Dodgers manage knee issue, Clemens walk-off highlights Twins win

Shohei Ohtani’s status took center stage Thursday as the Dodgers managed a nagging knee issue that kept him out of the starting nine. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters that the change was not intended to fully sideline Ohtani from activity, with Ohtani set to DH on Friday. For a two-way star who typically anchors both the lineup and, when healthy, the pitching plans, even a partial adjustment can ripple through daily roster decisions, at-bat order, and the timing of manager tinkering.

The day’s opener also featured a late, game-turning swing in the American League. The Twins walked off the Royals on a grand slam by Kody Clemens, a reminder of how quickly bullpen leverage can flip when a single inning turns into a multi-run eruption. The walk-off nature of the result adds urgency for both teams, because it can affect how quickly managers can get back to their preferred pitching sequences.

In the National League West, the Dodgers’ internal focus remained on making sure Ohtani could contribute without forcing the issue with his knee. While the report framed the knee trouble as “nagging” rather than something that was supposed to remove him from the lineup entirely, the choice to place him in a DH role on Friday underscores baseball’s day-to-day approach to managing discomfort. It also tees up a key question that will follow the Dodgers through the weekend: whether Ohtani’s knee will allow normal usage patterns, or whether the DH plan becomes a longer stopgap.

Across the same opener slate, the Rangers were projected to get Corey Seager back tonight, according to the report. A return like Seager’s matters beyond the simple presence in the batting order, because his role typically carries weight in how a manager structures middle-to-late innings, balances protection for teammates, and shapes the day’s matchups against opposing pitchers.

Taken together, the headlines point to the same theme that has defined the second half of the season: managing availability as much as managing performance. The Dodgers are trying to keep one of their most important lineup pieces on track while limiting strain, the Twins and Royals played out a high-leverage ending decided by a grand slam, and the Rangers’ anticipated return of Seager sets up a potential lineup stabilization.

For readers watching what comes next, the most immediate item is Ohtani’s usage after the Friday DH designation, including whether he resumes a standard role in the order and whether any additional restrictions appear. For the other teams, the walk-off result with Kody Clemens and Seager’s expected return will shape short-term rotation and bullpen workload, making the next few days a key window to see how each club resets after its most consequential moment.