The motion was unmistakable with the right foot pausing above the ground just before delivery.

Clayton Kershaw was in camp on Tuesday, going through his throwing program on one of the fields at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz. The free-agent left-hander has agreed to a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers that will become official today, the first official day of workouts for pitchers and catchers.

It is unclear when the 36-year-old future Hall of Famer will be ready to pitch in games. He underwent surgery on his left foot and knee following the end of the 2024 World Series and will be placed on the 60-day injured list as soon as his signing becomes official, an indication he is not likely to be ready to start his season with the Dodgers until late May at the earliest.

Kershaw underwent surgery on his shoulder following the 2023 season and did not pitch for the Dodgers until July last season. He made just seven starts before a chronic problem with bone spurs and ligament damage in the big toe on his left foot became too painful. He made his last start at the end of August and was not on the Dodgers’ postseason roster for any round.

Kershaw’s contract included an option for 2025 but he opted out instead, technically becoming a free agent this past winter. Both he and the Dodgers, however, made it clear he would be rejoining the team. At the parade celebrating the Dodgers’ World Series win, he proclaimed himself a “Dodger for life!”

Even as he battled through injuries the past two seasons and lost velocity on his fastball, Kershaw remains an elite-level pitcher when healthy. In 31 starts over the past two years, he is 15-7 with a 2.84 ERA.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner has 212 career wins and is just 32 strikeouts short of becoming only the 20th pitcher in MLB history with 3,000 career strikeouts.

— Bill Plunkett

BOONE IRKED WITH DODGERS >> Three months after the World Series, Yankees manager Aaron Boone remained unhappy with some of the Dodgers’ remarks after they beat a sloppy New York team in five games for the title.

Speaking on Tuesday at the start of spring training, Boone was asked whether his players took the comments personally.

“Probably a little bit,” he said, “but the reality is we didn’t play our best in the series and they won, so they have that right to say whatever. Hopefully, we’re in that position next year and handle things with a little more class but the reality is it’s a great team, it’s a great organization with a lot of great people that I happen to know and respect, too. So a few people sounding off isn’t necessarily how I would want to draw it up. But they’re the champs. They have that right.”

Los Angeles pitcher Joe Kelly said on his “ Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast the Dodgers entered each game saying: “Just let them throw the ball into the infield. They can’t make a play.”

JANSEN JOINING ANGELS >> Kenley Jansen is returning to Southern California, the veteran closer agreeing to terms on Tuesday to a one-year, $10-million contract with the Los Angeles Angels pending a physical.

Jansen, a 37-year-old right-hander, is baseball’s active leader in saves (447) and appearances (871), the majority of those coming during his 12-year stint with the Dodgers, when he went 37-26 with a 2.37 ERA and 350 saves in 701 games from 2010 to 2021.

After the Dodgers let Jansen go, he signed a one-year, $16-million deal with the Atlanta Braves, going 5-2 with a 3.38 ERA and a National League-leading 41 saves in 2022.

Jansen then signed a two-year, $32-million deal with the Boston Red Sox, going 7-8 with a 3.44 ERA and 80 saves in 2023 and 2024, striking out 114 and walking 37 in 99 1/3 innings.

He went 4-2 with a 3.29 ERA in 54 games last season, converting 27 of 31 save opportunities.

PADRES INK HEYWARD >> Veteran outfielder Jason Heyward and the San Diego Padres finalized a $1 million, one-year contract.

The 35-year-old spent last season with the Dodgers and Houston Astros, batting .211 with 10 home runs and 37 RBIs in 87 games. He was 5 for 10 with two homers, a triple and seven RBIs as a pinch hitter.

A five-time Gold Glove winner, Heyward has a .256 career batting average with 184 homers, 718 RBIs, 125 stolen bases and a .748 OPS in 15 major league seasons with the Atlanta Braves (2010-14), St. Louis Cardinals (2015), Chicago Cubs (2016-2022), Dodgers (2023-24) and Astros (2024).

He helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series and was an All-Star in 2010.