Clayton Kershaw eases Dodgers fans' fear, Teoscar Hernandez and Jack Flaherty returns

The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated like maniacs on Friday to mark the first World Series parade in the city since 1988. The team didn't hold one after the 2020 championship due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was a grand time, but now there's business to attend to. And quickly. The offseason will officially kick off in a few days and a number of important Dodgers players will be free to negotiate with other teams.

One of those players is Clayton Kershaw, who didn't necessarily factor in as a key piece in 2024, but is very much a Dodgers legend and part of the organization's fabric, whether he's on the mound or influencing in the clubhouse.

Kershaw made just seven starts in 2024 after signing a one-year contract last offseason as fears grew that he could sign with his hometown Texas Rangers before officially retiring.

It seems the organization's World Series win may have prevented Kershaw from departing for Texas for good now. Dodgers fans have long feared the Rangers could be where the future Hall of Famer ends his career, but Kershaw all but confirmed that will not happen.

Dodgers News: Clayton Kershaw, Teoscar Hernandez and Jack Flaherty hitting free agency

Dodger for life. As it should be. If Kershaw wasn't joining the Rangers the year after their World Series win, he certainly wasn't doing so after they completely crashed and missed the playoffs following that epic run.

A couple other impending free agents — Teoscar Hernandez and Jack Flaherty — seemed to echo a similar sentiment. Though the two are expected to be far more sought-after than Kershaw, they made it clear they'd prefer to remain in LA based on their commentary at the parade.

Hernandez is coming off a one-year, $23.5 million contract while Flaherty came over in a trade with the Detroit Tigers and helped reset his free agent market with a solid campaign on different playoff rosters.

Hernandez very much embraced the Dodgers' culture and city, something that was made evident in his short time with the franchise. The fit is as close to perfect as it gets. And it's likely mutual with how often he delivered in the clutch.

Flaherty, on the other hand, is from Los Angeles and it's long been suspected he'd benefit from the hometown scenery. Though his playoff appearances were drastic ups and downs, he surely still fits here as a member of the starting rotation. Perhaps the Dodgers can get another price break because of their location and championship stature, too.

Nonetheless, the Dodgers have shown a willingness to spend and maintain their superior culture, so there's hope for this team to look exactly the same (if not better) heading into 2025 when all is said and done.