GLENDALE, Ariz. — All was back in order in the Dodgers’ world on Friday afternoon – but it was all very uncertain not so long ago.

After a winter of uncertainty surrounding both the health of his pitching arm and his future employer, Clayton Kershaw started the Dodgers’ Cactus League opener at Camelback Ranch, retiring four of the five batters he faced.

If you had told Dodgers manager Dave Roberts that was going to be the outcome a few weeks ago, he might not have believed you.

“I would have been shocked,” Roberts acknowledged after Friday’s game. “But I think with him you just know that he’s going to do everything he can to be prepared. Just to see him walk off and finish that first one with a little joyful exhale was good.”

His own harshest critic, Kershaw wasn’t impressed after walking one and striking out none.

“It wasn’t great, honestly,” he said. “But the first one – just make sure everything is working right, you feel good, kind of get the adrenaline of the fans as best you can. Now I know what I need to work on. It’s a good stepping stone.”

MAKING MOVES

The Dodgers added some starting pitching depth Friday, agreeing to a one-year, $8 million contract with free-agent left-hander Tyler Anderson.

Anderson, 32, was 7-11 with a 4.53 ERA in 31 starts for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners last season. But the Dodgers are familiar with him from his four seasons with the Colorado Rockies and one with the San Francisco Giants, during which he went 22-27 with a 4.65 ERA.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers also completed a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, sending outfielder Luke Raley to the Rays in exchange for two-way player Tanner Dodson.

Dodson, 24, was a second-round pick out of Cal in the 2018 draft. Last season, he went a combined 5-2 with a 3.20 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 56-1/3 innings at Class-A and Double-A. He has also played outfield and DH, batting .247 over parts of three minor-league seasons.

DUFFY RETURNS

Left-hander Danny Duffy has re-signed with the Dodgers.

Duffy, 33, was acquired by the Dodgers from the Kansas City Royals at the trade deadline last year but was never able to pitch for them due to a recurring flexor tendon injury. Duffy underwent surgery to address the problem last October and is expected to return at some point in the middle of the season this year.

The contract he signed includes a club option for 2023. Duffy has been almost exclusively a starter during his career but the Dodgers viewed him as a potential bullpen option when they acquired him last year.

“It’s one of those where it’s a longer play, looking out later into the summer and have him come help us and add a piece,” Roberts said. “Right now, I think he’s just trying to get back for later in the summer.”

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Duffy was placed on the 60-day IL to create a roster spot for newly acquired first baseman Freddie Freeman.

MONEY MATTERS

The signings of Anderson, Duffy and Nelson in recent days has pushed the Dodgers’ projected payroll for 2022 over $280 million, deep into the third tier of the new Competitive Balance Tax.

“We talked about this last offseason, we just never view payroll in a one-year window,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “The things that we did in ’18, ’19, ’20 allowed us to do things we did last offseason and this offseason.

“This isn’t a sustainable level, but it’s more about – the way Mark (Walter) views it is, what we’re willing to spend. … But what we’re willing to spend in one year, with the appreciation of what the forecast looks like as we look out, is all a part of it.”