Latimes iconLatimesAug 21, 2026 ~5 min source read

Patrick Soon-Shiong says he would be interested if Mark Walter decides to sell the Dodgers

Amid federal scrutiny of assets tied to Dodgers majority owner Mark Walter, Los Angeles Times owner and 2012 Dodgers bidding runner-up Patrick Soon-Shiong says he would consider leading a buyout group if the team were put on the market.

If Dodgers are put up for sale, previous runner-up Patrick Soon-Shiong is interested

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Soon-Shiong — who finished second in the 2012 bidding for the Dodgers — is publicly open to leading a bid if Mark Walter opts to sell.

Industry estimates cited in the story put a potential sale price for the Dodgers between $10 billion and $13 billion.

Walter’s companies face a federal probe and a reported cash crunch tied to insurance assets, creating speculation about the team’s future despite official denials.

# What happened Mark Walter remains the Dodgers' majority owner, and team officials have repeatedly said the Dodgers are not for sale. Still, recent reporting highlights growing scrutiny of Walter's wider business holdings and notes that interest in the franchise would be high if he changed his mind.

# Who is expressing interest Patrick Soon-Shiong — the biotech billionaire who owns the Los Angeles Times and who was runner-up in the 2012 Dodgers bidding — said through a representative that he would be interested in leading an investment group if Walter ever decided to sell. His attorney, Chuck Kenworthy, clarified that Soon-Shiong has not spoken with Walter but would be open to discussions.

# Why the topic surfaced now Regulators and federal investigators are probing certain financial transactions connected to insurance firms controlled by Walter. That scrutiny, and reports of a cash crunch tied to those companies, prompted renewed attention on whether Walter might sell high-value assets. The reporting notes that the sale of the Lakers and other asset moves can provide liquidity to satisfy lenders or regulators, though investigations into such matters sometimes conclude without charges.

# How big a sale might be A high-ranking industry source anonymously told the Los Angeles Times that the Dodgers could fetch between $10 billion and $13 billion if put on the market. That range would place the franchise valuation at or above recent record sales for major sports teams, and far higher than the $2.15 billion price Walter and partners paid in 2012.

# Soon-Shiong's past bids and sports holdings In 2012, Soon-Shiong and hedge-fund manager Steve Cohen submitted a runner-up bid, officially $1.6 billion, for the Dodgers. Soon-Shiong has also explored other sports purchases in earlier years, including interest in AEG and a window in 2022 when he considered the Angels. He currently owns a 4% stake in the Lakers, which his attorney says he does not intend to sell.

# What this could mean for the Dodgers and players If ownership changed, contracts and personnel decisions could face new oversight depending on buyer intentions. The story mentions a specific potential complication tied to Shohei Ohtani: his contract contains a unique opt-out provision that could become relevant if ownership changes. The article does not report any definite moves tied to player contracts.

# Where things stand now Dodgers president Stan Kasten and people close to Mark Walter insist the team is not for sale. Walter's TWG Global did not immediately respond to requests for comment. No charges have been filed in the federal inquiry mentioned, and investigations can end without charges.

# Bottom line Soon-Shiong has publicly signaled interest in leading a bid if Walter decides to sell, but as of the report the Dodgers remain officially not for sale. The combination of a federal probe affecting assets tied to Walter and high potential valuation for the Dodgers has prompted outside parties and industry observers to watch the situation closely.

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