ALDS: Rays finish sweep of Yankees behind Mesa homer, fan interference call

• October 8, 2026

By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK — Victor Mesa Jr. hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Max Fried in the sixth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees, 4-3, on Wednesday night with the help of a fan interference call for a three-game sweep of their American League Division Series.

Ryan Vilade also homered for the Rays, who reached the AL Championship Series for the first time since 2020 and host the Chicago White Sox or Cleveland Guardians in the opener on Monday.

After Mesa’s homer gave the Rays a 4-2 lead, Anthony Volpe appeared to hit a two-run shot against Griffin Jax with two outs in the bottom half as a fan reached over the left field wall and caught the ball over the glove of a leaping Mesa.

A video review determined the ball would not have cleared the fence but would not have been caught by Mesa. Volpe was awarded an RBI double and George Lombard Jr. was allowed to score from first base. Jax recovered to strike out Spencer Jones.

Baseball’s adaptation of video technology was key to the inning.

Lombard reached with a one-out walk when a 3-and-1 pitch called a strike by plate umpire Dan Bellino was ruled inside on an ABS challenge. Austin Wells then walked on full-count changeup but an ABS challenge by Rays catcher Liam Hicks ruled the pitch caught the inside corner for a strikeout, bringing up Volpe.

Quite a change from 1996, when umpires did not have technology to assist and Derek Jeter’s homer for the Yankees helped turn around the ALCS opener despite young fan Jeffrey Meier reaching over the right field wall where Baltimore’s Tony Tarasco was set to catch the ball. MLB began using video replay for home run calls in 2008 and allowed challenges to ball/strike decisions starting this season.

Ian Seymour pitched 1⅓ scoreless innings for the win, Kevin Kelly struck out pinch-hitter Giancarlo Stanton to strand a runner in the eighth and Bryan Baker pitched the ninth for his third save of the series.

Seeking its first World Series title, Tampa Bay celebrated on the field of the big-spending Yankees for the second time in two weeks after clinching the AL East on Sept. 22. New York opened the season with MLB’s third-highest payroll at $303 million while the Rays were 26th at $91 million.

Swept in a best-of-five postseason matchup for the first time since the 1980 ALCS against Kansas City, the Yankees ended their 17th straight season without a World Series crown. That equaled their longest drought since winning their first championship in 1923, a gap between titles in 1978 and ’96.

Yankees captain Aaron Judge missed the postseason after straining a calf on Sept. 16. The three-time AL MVP played just seven games after May 31 because of a fractured rib and the leg injury, an absence the team couldn’t overcome.

New York batted .130 in the series and was outscored 10-5.

After sweeping Boston in the Wild Card Series, New York never led against the Rays and has not advanced past a higher-seeded team in the postseason since 2020.

Jonathan Aranda put the Rays ahead with an RBI single in the third and Ben Rice tied the score against Nick Martinez with a single in the bottom half, his eighth RBI of the postseason.

Vilade, a 27-year-old getting extensive major league playing time this year with his sixth major league organization, hit an opposite-field, 340-foot drive into the right field short porch in the fourth. The ball, just over the glove of a jumping Jones, would not have been out of any other big league ballpark.

Volpe, starting at second base in place of Jazz Chisholm Jr., hit a 96.6 mph liner off Martinez’s back with two outs in the fourth for an infield single, and Seymour relieved. Jones’ opposite-field double landed beyond Mesa, driving in Volpe.

Junior Caminero singled in the sixth and Mesa sent a sweeper deep into the right-field seats to chase Fried. It was the first home run he allowed to a left-handed hitter since August 2025.

UP NEXT

Tampa Bay gets four days off and will have played just three games in 14 days before starting the best-of-seven ALCS.

More to come on this story.

​ Orange County Register 

Three USC linebackers earn game balls after Washington win

• October 8, 2026

LOS ANGELES — The USC linebacking corps was asked to step up prior to Saturday’s game against Washington. They were shorthanded, down a middle linebacker in Desmond Stephens II, who was serving a one-game suspension.

“I felt like, all week, I just attacked everything,” linebacker Ta’Mere Robinson said. “Whether that was getting the call from a safety, getting a call on my own, setting in the front, going to coaches, asking questions if I was unsure of something.”

No. 19 USC (5-1 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) won the game, 25-21, and the position group answered the call well enough to see three linebackers receive game balls.

Robinson, Deven Bryant and Elijah Newby were each recognized after the defense tied a season-high in sacks with five and registered 48 total tackles. Robinson and Newby tied for second-most tackles in the game with six tackles apiece.

“Whether it’s somebody else getting more reps,” head coach Lincoln Riley said, “or it’s just the ability to just simply rotate guys to keep them fresh or using guys different from a package standpoint – we certainly look at it as a positive and feel like we know a little bit more, developed some more depth in that room than maybe we felt 10 days ago.”

There might be increased competition for playing time at linebacker, based on what the coaching staff saw against the Huskies.

“Des is a good player and important part of this football team,” Riley said, “so we view this a lot like we’re coming back off of any normal game, like nothing else happened. We’ve seen how each group has played, and I think what we learned this week is we’ve got a handful of guys in there that can go out there and play really, really well.”

Robinson had his first career start, and started in place of Stephens. It was a long time coming for the senior transfer from Penn State who has dealt with injury throughout his playing career.

He shined right out of the gate, logging four tackles in the first quarter and sacking Washington quarterback Demond Williams for a loss of 5 yards to push the Huskies back to USC’s 45-yard line.

Newby also recorded a strip sack late in the third quarter, allowing defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart to scoop up the ball and run 48 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

“The linebackers, they did great,” Stewart said. “They’re trusting us for sure, and we just got to trust them. And that’s all it takes, is us just trusting each other, playing as one. And once we do that, we’ll have great things coming.”

COMMUNICATING IN A ‘WHITE OUT’

USC’s offensive line has protected quarterback Jayden Maiava well this season, giving up an average of just one sack per game. It comes down to communicating and ID-ing plays, according to center Tobias Raymond.

That communication will be challenged by the loud environment of the “White Out” game when the Trojans head to Penn State (3-2, 0-2) this weekend.

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Crowd noise and songs like the “Circle of Life” and “Mo Bamba” were blaring from the practice facility’s sound system on Tuesday and Wednesday to get all the USC players, especially the offensive linemen, ready.

“When Jayden gives us a call, it’s all about echoing and like talking back and forth,” Raymond said. “One thing really good about communication and being loud – I feel like it gives confidence to the guys around you … it builds confidence in terms of like man, we’re yelling, we’re getting the juices flowing, and we’re on the same page.”

​ Orange County Register 

Andy Pages comes through in the clutch to send Dodgers to NLCS

• October 8, 2026

ATLANTA — Overmatched last postseason and benched during the World Series, Andy Pages used the embarrassment to fuel an All-Star season in 2026.

But he was hit by a pitch on Aug. 21 that broke a bone in his hand, didn’t return until the final six games of the regular season and started the postseason, trying to do too much (by his manager’s estimation) to make up for last fall’s lack of contributions.

The accounts have been reconciled. It was Pages’ clutch two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning that broke a tie and lifted the Dodgers to a 4-1 victory on Wednesday night in Game 4 of their National League Division Series with the Atlanta Braves.

The victory sends the Dodgers to the National League Championship Series against either the Milwaukee Brewers or San Diego Padres. The Dodgers have reached baseball’s Final Four for the fifth time in the past seven years, the eighth time in the past 11. Their quest for a ‘three-peat’ will continue Sunday either in Milwaukee or at home against the Padres.

This series was decided by the Dodgers’ first and only hit with a runner in scoring position in the four games.

“No, it was not (part of the plan). But the one was big,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said, shivering under the dousing of chilled beer and champagne in the post-game locker room. “I think it speaks to the vast number of ways we can win a baseball game. But certainly, for quality of life, (I) would like us to cash in a few more of those opportunities in the next round.”

A veteran of these celebrations, Max Muncy, said statistics — like 1 for 16 with RISP — are meaningless in October as long as they add up to a win.

“It doesn’t matter how you win. You just win,” Muncy said. “No one cares about their personal stats. The end result, the ‘W’ at the end is the most important part and that’s what everyone is focused on. Obviously you’d like to have more hits with runners in scoring position but it’s the postseason. It’s hard to do that. It’s really hard to string together a few hits in a row.

“But we were able to do it tonight – once. And that’s really all that matters.”

With the score tied 1-1, Teoscar Hernandez – fresh off a collision with the left field wall that left him on the warning track dirt, rubbing the left side of his head – singled with one out off Braves starter Tyler Mahle. It was just the third hit off Mahle and it came on just his 85th pitch. But Braves manager Walt Weiss went to his bullpen, bringing in Game 2 hero Didier Fuentes to face Muncy.

Fuentes got Muncy to ground out, Hernandez moving to second, but he walked pinch-hitter Josue De Paula and Kyle Tucker to load the bases with two outs.

Weiss had a quick hook, pulling Fuentes and handing the ball to veteran Robert Suarez to face Pages.

“Didi didn’t look quite the same; the ball wasn’t coming out quite the same,” Weiss said of Fuentes. “So I made a quick move there to Suarez.

“You tip your cap to Pages, man. He hit a 100-mile-an-hour heater back through the middle.”

Pages got ahead in the count, 3-and-1, then swung and missed at a 99.1 mph fastball from Suarez. He got another fastball on the full count and didn’t miss, stroking it through the middle to drive in two runs and put the Dodgers in the lead.

“Incredibly happy for him,” Hernandez said of Pages, his sidekick in the real “Big Bro-Little Bro” pairing in the Dodgers’ clubhouse. “Especially after seeing all the people saying he’s not going to hit in the postseason, that he was one of the worst postseason hitters in the league. I think after today that opinion is going to change.

“He missed a month. At the end of the season, he got a couple hits, a couple big hits, a couple homers. But we know it takes time to get consistent, getting good at-bats, getting good contact. I think his timing is coming back and he showed that the past two days.”

What Pages didn’t show postgame was how much last October had lived in him.

“For me, what happened last year, happened. It’s in the past now,” he said in Spanish. “All I can do now is be in the moment, and being in the moment today, I was able to get the result.”

Friedman praised the 25-year-old Pages as “a guy that keeps getting better,” having turned himself into an outstanding defensive outfielder and emerging from last October with his breakout season.

“That says a lot about someone,” Friedman said. “And so for him to have the struggles he had last October, and for him to emerge out of it the way he has so far, I can’t say enough about him and how important he is to this team.”

It was a struggle to score any runs in Atlanta. After Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Chris Sale squared off in Game 3, Mahle and Tyler Glasnow allowed just a dirty run each through the first six innings.

In the bottom of the first, Michael Harris II led off with a single off of Glasnow. He stole second, went to third on a ground out and score when Glasnow spiked a knuckle curve in the dirt well in front of home plate. It bounced off Will Smith’s chest protector back towards the mound and Glasnow couldn’t retrieve it in time to get Harris.

In the top of the second, Shohei Ohtani took a five-pitch walk, stole second and went to third when Braves catcher Sean Murphy threw the ball into center field. Ohtani scored when Braves shortstop Mauricio Dubon dropped Muncy’s pop-up in shallow left field.

Glasnow didn’t give up another hit after that leadoff single to Harris in the first inning. He did walk five, though, including two in the fifth inning that prompted Manager Dave Roberts to pull him from the game after 78 pitches.

Dodgers pitchers somehow walked 18 batters in the series but let none of them score. Alex Vesia retired Matt Olson to end that fifth inning. Edgardo Henriquez held the Braves scoreless over the next two. Tanner Scott retired the slumping heart of the Braves’ order and Muncy gave Edwin Diaz cushion in the ninth inning with a solo home run (his 19th career postseason homer, a franchise record).

“I just feel like everybody out there in the baseball world thinks that it’s gonna be easy for us just because of the team that we have, and it’s never gonna be easy to win baseball games. Especially in October, when everybody’s throwing their best at you,” said Miguel Rojas who was held out of the game with a back injury. “So we feel really proud and feel like the expectations are there, and those are the things that weigh the most on our shoulders, to be honest. And all we have to do is play clean baseball, like we’ve been doing.”

As the Dodgers’ celebration wound down, Game 4 of the NLDS between the Brewers and Padres was just about to begin. Friedman was asked what outcome he was rooting for in that series.

“I just want chaos,” he said.

​ Orange County Register 

Iconic ‘Donaldson Futuro’ flying-saucer home near Idyllwild lists for $1.5M

• October 8, 2026

A rare space-age prefab mountain retreat resembling a harvest-gold flying saucer landed on the market near Idyllwild this week for $1.495 million.

Perched atop a granite outcrop in the forested San Jacinto Mountains on steel legs painted to match the hull, this 1969 relic of retro-futurism is known as the Donaldson Futuro.

The unique home features a lightweight fiberglass-reinforced polyester plastic shell wrapped in bubble windows. Its striking looks — and its spot on the National Register of Historic Places — are entirely due to its namesake and longtime owner, Milford Wayne Donaldson.

As first reported by The Wall Street Journal, Donaldson is a preservation architect who served as President Barack Obama’s appointee to chair the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation from 2010 to 2019.

Long before taking on that national role, he rescued the plastic UFO-shaped structure from a parking lot behind the San Diego Design Center in the late 1970s, sparing it from the scrap heap, the article added.

Recognizing its potential, he bought the neglected gem and relocated it to a local boatyard, where he spent several decades restoring it.

In the 1960s, Finnish architect Matti Suuronen designed the self-contained unit known simply as the Futuro. Futuro Enterprises in Philadelphia manufactured this particular model.

Atomic Ranch noted it is one of only 19 survivors left standing in the United States, while The Wall Street Journal puts global numbers at between 50 and 60 of the estimated 100 made worldwide.

Donaldson relocated the ultra-compact structure to a half-acre Pine Cove lot that he and his wife, Laurie, bought for $70,000 in February 2003, public records show.

According to reports, they hauled the 11,900-pound, shrink-wrapped Futuro on a flatbed truck escorted by the California Highway Patrol, blocking three lanes of traffic and creating a tailgate of cars.

A crane helped place the home on the site, surrounded by ponderosa pines, California black oaks, white firs and manzanitas. Only then did the Donaldsons tackle the 793-square-foot interior.

When the retractable airplane-hatch entry door opens, it reveals a circular floor plan with a new gold-flecked, non-asbestos popcorn ceiling.

Natural light floods the space through 16 custom acrylic portals and a skylight, which replaced the original flue opening above.

Privacy walls frame the bedroom and bathroom, while built-in seating frames the lounge and dining area inside the circular layout. It flows into a compact, lime-green kitchen with custom cabinetry.

A stone monument features two bronze plaques designating the home as California Historical Landmark No. 1062 and its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

Timothy McTavish of Desert Sotheby’s International Realty holds the listing.

Donaldson is a pioneer in historic preservation. He launched his career after studying historic architecture in Sweden during the 1960s. After returning to the U.S., he founded Heritage Architecture and Planning in 1978, operating out of San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter where he spearheaded the district’s revitalization. His expertise earned him high-profile government appointments, including serving as California’s state historic preservation officer from 2004 to 2012 under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. He and his wife live near Sacramento.

​ Orange County Register 

Westminster participates in National Walk & Roll to School Day

• October 8, 2026

Students put their best foot forward Wednesday morning.

Then their other foot, and so on. Or they peddled or scooted.

National Walk & Roll to School Day is held annually on Oct. 7 and lots of families took the opportunity to leave their cars at home and get to school walking or riding along their neighborhood streets.

The city of Westminster got in the spirit with city officials and police officers at campuses to welcome students and spread the message promoting healty lifestyles and safer streets.

At Westminster School District’s Schmitt Elementary on Trask Avenue, students were met by city and school representatives waving pom-poms, and one even dressed as a traffic cone. Officers also kept a watchful eye as families crossed streets.

School Principal Sarah Nead-Rendon greeted students wearing a traffic cone hat.

“Walk & Roll to School Day is a reminder of how connected our community can be,” said Assistant City Manager Adolfo Ozaeta, project manager for the city’s Safe Routes to School Plan. “I’m proud to see students, friends, and neighbors walking, biking, and rolling to Westminster schools each year. It is wonderful to witness the collaborative efforts of our city staff, school district, police department, and volunteers who make these journeys safe.”

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Wednesday, Oct. 7

• October 8, 2026

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Scores and stats from Orange County games on Wednesday, Oct. 7

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

The deadline for submitting information is 10:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. Saturday.

GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL

SUNSET LEAGUE

Huntington Beach 68, Marina 0

ORANGE LEAGUE

Bolsa Grande 58, Magnolia 18

FREEWAY LEAGUE

Villa Park 14, Sunny Hills 6

NORTH HILLS LEAGUE

La Habra 40, Brea Olinda 0

Pacifica 48, Troy 0

PACIFIC HILLS LEAGUE

Laguna Beach 7, Pacifica Christian/OC 6

ORANGE LEAGUE

Century 12, Western 0

GROVE LEAGUE

Saddleback 12, Savanna 0

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Woodbridge 44, University 13

BOYS WATER POLO

SUNSET LEAGUE

Newport Harbor 14, Corona del Mar 8

Goals: (NH) Polenzani 5. (CdM) Kozlowski 6.

TRINITY LEAGUE

JSerra 12, Orange Lutheran

Goals: (JS) Yonker 2, Park 2, Fine 2, Taylor 2, Wraith 2.

Other scores

Santa Margarita 15, St. John Bosco 9

GOLDEN WEST LEAGUE

Kennedy 15, Tustin 5

EMPIRE LEAGUE

Valencia 19, Cypress 5

ORANGE COAST LEAGUE

Segerstrom 18, Costa Mesa 9

Katella 9, Godinez 8

NONLEAGUE

Mira Costa 13, Foothill 8

GIRLS GOLF

COAST LEAGUE

Estancia 279, Western 334

Dad Miller GC (par 35)

Low score: Alliman (Est) 46

Estancia 279, Santa Ana Valley 351

CRESTVIEW LEAGUE

Crean Lutheran 187, Yorba Linda 205

FREEWAY LEAGUE

Brea Olinda 179, La Habra 204

​ Orange County Register 

Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh enthusiastic about rookie offensive linemen

• October 8, 2026

EL SEGUNDO — Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said he gazed into the eyes of the team’s four rookie offensive linemen earlier this week and was reminded of a day many years ago, when he was a veteran quarterback entering his team’s huddle and locking eyes with another set of rookies tasked with protecting him from opposing defenders.

Harbaugh didn’t say how he and his youthful teammates fared that day, but it’s safe to say the winless Chargers won’t be at their best if Pro Bowl tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater plus left guard Trevor Penning can’t play against the Denver Broncos on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

“The rookie offensive linemen, their demeanor, their focus, their opportunity, just love them,” Harbaugh said.

The Chargers (0-4) started the season Sept. 13 against the Arizona Cardinals with one rookie lineman, with second-round draft pick Jake Slaughter assuming the starting center position after Tyler Biadasz, a past Pro Bowl selection, suffered a season-ending knee injury during training camp.

Alt (neck), Slater (ankle) and Penning (concussion) were hurt in the Chargers’ 30-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The Chargers ended the game with rookies Logan Taylor at left tackle, Slaughter at left guard, Jacob Spomer at center and Travis Burke at right tackle.

Right guard Cole Strange was the lone veteran in the five-man formation, and will be again if Alt, Slater and Penning can’t play against the Broncos. None of the three injured players participated in practice Wednesday. The Chargers on Tuesday signed veteran tackle Daniel Brunskill to the practice squad.

In addition, they opened the practice windows for offensive lineman Branson Taylor (neck) and fullback/defensive lineman Scott Matlock (foot) to return from injured reserve. They were placed on IR to start the season and sat out the mandatory minimum of four games before rejoining their teammates for Wednesday’s practice.

“It’s not something you can give, it’s earned,” Harbaugh said of his faith in inserting four rookies onto the starting offensive line. “They’ve been earning that since the day they got here back in May for spring practices, and they’ve proven to themselves as they go.

“That’s what a player does. A player proves to himself that he belongs and you prove it to your teammates. They had an opportunity to do that in a game this past weekend (against the Seahawks), so they acquitted themselves well. I saw a confident demeanor, one that was ready to accept a challenge.”

This week also has brought back memories of Harbaugh’s playing career.

“Being a player and what it felt like when I was put in that position, you know?” Harbaugh said. “And that feeling of stepping up to the challenge, and being a quarterback and stepping into the huddle and there some rookie offensive linemen when I was a veteran quarterback.

“I had the same feeling today, as a coach, watching them go into the huddle (during practice). That brought back some good memories. I saw what I wanted to see, needed to see. Just their demeanor. Just the way they took the field. Their focus and excitement for the challenge. Like a ‘bring it on’ mentality. I love it, I love it. I see that with our entire team.”

SAME OLD STORY

Justin Herbert didn’t have Slater available to protect his blind side last season, after Slater sustained a season-ending knee injury during training camp. He also didn’t have Alt to end the season after Alt suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 9 against the Tennessee Titans.

So, it won’t seem foreign to him if Slater and Alt can’t play this weekend.

“The game doesn’t change too much,” Herbert said. “You should do your job of playing quarterback, get the ball out quickly, making sure you’re avoiding sacks, eliminating turnovers, finding the open guy. So, if that’s what I’m able to do, then you can take out the pass rush as much as you can.”

INJURY REPORT

Offensive lineman Kayode Awosika (fibula), cornerback Donte Jackson (hamstring), safety Derwin James Jr. (hamstring), outside linebacker Khalil Mack (rest) and wide receiver Ladd McConkey (foot) also didn’t practice. Jackson and McConkey were hurt in the game against Seattle.

​ Orange County Register 

Jeanie Buss’ 5 siblings file response in court over battle to sell minority stake in Lakers

• October 8, 2026

LOS ANGELES — In the latest chapter of the lingering battle between Lakers governor Jeanie Buss and her attempt to stop her siblings from selling their remaining 17.8% stake in the Lakers, her five siblings filed a formal response in court on Wednesday in opposition to their sister, arguing that Jeanie does not have the right to block the deal.

Jimmy, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss had not released a statement since Jeanie Buss and her legal counsel filed a petition on Aug. 24 asserting that the siblings had violated the Buss Family trust by voting 5-0 to use their tag-along rights to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger’s pending purchase of the franchise at a $12.5 billion valuation – and that Jeanie Buss shall remain “controlling owner” of the Lakers.

Being governor of the Lakers – or any NBA franchise for that matter – requires holding at least 15% of ownership in the team. Jeanie Buss represented the Lakers at the NBA’s Board of Governors meeting in September in New York City.

A court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 8 in Los Angeles Superior Court. The NBA Board of Governors next meets in November.

“Jimmy, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss, the five of six siblings who voted to sell the Trust’s shares in the Lakers, today filed their formal opposition, demonstrating that Jeanie Buss’s petition is legally and factually baseless …,” the Buss siblings, sans Jeanie, said in a statement to the Southern California News Group on Wednesday.

“While discussions among the siblings continue, their focus remains on facilitating the proposed transaction and the Trust’s participation in it, while ensuring that all beneficiaries, including Jeanie, are treated equally. Today’s filing is a necessary step to protect those interests and ensure the transaction proceeds on schedule.”

Wednesday’s court filing, obtained by SCNG, argues that because two-thirds of living trustees voted to sell the 17.8% stake, that the trust should therefore be terminated.

“Jeanie’s efforts by the Petition to avoid this inescapable conclusion for her own self-interested reasons are contrary to the Trust Agreement’s express terms, constitute a breach of her fiduciary duties as a trustee, and must be rejected,” the filing states.

Jeanie Buss’ attorney, Adam Streisand, argued in the August petition that the 5-0 vote that the siblings made was invalid – and that she “never agreed to any sale, was never consulted, and was never even informed.” Streisand did not return request for comment as of Wednesday evening.

The motion also calls for Janie and Joey – the other two trustees alongside Jeanie – to be held in contempt of court and be removed as trustees, while also requesting that Johnny, Jimmy and Jesse also be held in contempt of court for having “aided and abetted” their trustee siblings.

Everything comes back to the family’s trust – and what followed after the death of Dr. Jerry Buss in 2013, and his decision to select Jeanie Buss to run the Lakers. Jerry Buss bought the team in 1979 and the Buss Family trust continued to own the team until October 2025 when Dodgers owner Mark Walter officially purchased the franchise at a $10 billion valuation.

As part of the Walter transaction, per Wednesday’s filing, Jeanie Buss and Walter entered into a letter agreement that stipulated that she would remain team governor for five years, as well as becoming an alternative governor thereafter if she or her “affiliated entities” held at least 5% of ownership of the Lakers.

Jeanie Buss’ status as “controlling owner,” and how it’s described in the Buss family trust, is the heart of her case to retain the 17.8% stake in the team. Buss would have to relinquish her role as team governor should the stake she is attached to drop below 15%.

Even if Jeanie Buss was correct, Wednesday’s filing argues, the beneficiary respondents – Jimmy, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse – could vote to terminate the trust, and then the trustees would have to redistribute the stakes equally between the five siblings, who could then sell them.

“Jeanie’s argument is at most a meaningless academic exercise,” the filing states.

Their Buss Family stake, accounting for the $12.5 billion valuation, would be worth about $2.2 billion.

​ Orange County Register