What's going on with Clayton Kershaw's free agency as Dodgers continue to make moves?

During the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series celebrations last year, Clayton Kershaw made it clear that he would be returning to LA in 2025 when he promised an eager crowd that he would be a "Dodger for life." At the time, Kershaw still had a decision to make on his player option worth $10 million for the upcoming season, and option that he ended up declining in November.

Although it'd be fair if that move gave some fans pause after brief Kershaw-Rangers rumors last offseason, he's been so open about wanting to return to the Dodgers that we shouldn't be too worried he'll pull off the betrayal of the century.

Because Kershaw won't be available until the summer, much like last season, they'll likely restructure a contract with a different salary attached. It also wouldn't be surprising, given the current overflowing state of the Dodgers' 40-man.

On Jan. 23, Brandon Gomes confirmed that they're still working on a reunion with Kershaw and added an injury update: Kershaw is working through his throwing program but hasn't progressed to throwing off a mound.

Brandon Gomes reaffirms Dodgers' interest in Clayton Kershaw reunion, provides injury update

Kershaw underwent two surgeries last year, one to repair a torn meniscus and another to treat bone spurs in his toe, the initial injury that shut him down in late August after just seven starts.

The Dodgers appear to be treading with caution regarding Shohei Ohtani and Michael Kopech and clearly don't want a repeat performance from last year, when basically the entirety of the rotation and a lot of the bullpen was decimated by injuries. Kershaw will be 37 by the time the season starts and hasn't had a fully healthy season since 2019, so it'd make sense for them to want to take extra care with him.

Roki Sasaki's addition to the rotation might've put a nail in the coffin of Jack Flaherty's future in LA, but there's no world in which the Dodgers wouldn't make room for Kershaw. That might mean finally calling it quits on Tony Gonsolin or Dustin May, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a Dodgers fan who would advocate for dumping Kershaw instead of Gonsolin or May.

The guy wants to retire in Dodger blue, and he wants another shot at redeeming himself in the postseason and put the choking memes to bed forever. The front office would have a massive fire to put out if they didn't give him that shot.