Joey Buss, Jesse Buss are joining Padres' ownership group

Joey Buss and Jesse Buss, siblings of Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, have joined the ownership group of the San Diego Padres, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. The Buss brothers, who previously sold their majority stake in the Lakers to Mark Walter last year, announced their involvement with the ownership group through Kwanza Jones and Jose E. Feliciano.

They aim to identify acquisitions and partnerships across the global sports landscape. The brothers will join the advisory board of the Padres ownership group and contribute their experience in player development, payroll management, and roster construction. Their ownership stake in the Padres is estimated to be around 5%. This move is somewhat surprising, considering that Walter is the primary owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Padres and Dodgers both competing in the National League West.

The Dodgers currently lead the Padres by 8.5 games. The Buss siblings, excluding Jeanie Buss, are looking to sell their remaining minority stake to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger. Jeanie Buss remains committed to her role as Lakers governor and may find a way to stay involved if her siblings sell their shares.