The Sports Report: Dodgers trade Gavin Lux

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Mike DiGiovanna: The Dodgers have thinned out their glut of middle infielders, trading second baseman Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds for outfield prospect Mike Sirota and a competitive-balance Round A draft pick, the team announced Monday.

Lux had a productive finish to 2024 after missing 2023 because of torn knee ligaments, batting .304 with an .899 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in the second half after hitting .213 with a .562 OPS in the first half, and he drove in the tying run with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly in the World Series Game 5-clinching win over the New York Yankees.

But with Mookie Betts moving from right field to shortstop this winter and the Dodgers signing slick-fielding Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim, a left-handed hitter whose best position is second base, to a three-year, $12.5-million deal on Friday, the left-handed-hitting Lux became expendable.

The Dodgers have plenty of middle-infield depth behind Betts and Kim, with Tommy Edman, who provides above-average defense at shortstop, second base and center field, slick-fielding middle infielder Miguel Rojas and utility man Chris Taylor on the roster. Betts also has considerable experience at second base.

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Shaikin: Sell? Move? Tank? Is this the end of the Padres’ Camelot Era?

RAMS

From Gary Klein: Sean McVay and Kevin O’Connell worked closely on the Rams staff for two seasons, molding an offensive scheme that helped the 2021 team make a playoff run that it capped with a victory in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.

Now McVay and O’Connell, the third-year coach of the Minnesota Vikings, will face each other in the postseason for the first time when the Rams play host to an NFC wild-card game on Monday night at SoFi Stadium.

Does McVay see a lot of the Rams’ offense in O’Connell’s Vikings?

“What I see is he’s done an excellent job of morphing it to his players,” McVay said during a video conference with reporters. “I think that sometimes can get a little bit overemphasized.

“There’s a foundational philosophy that I think people carry offensively, but he’s put his own spin on it. ... There’s some similarities of things that we’ve done together and then there’s been some things that they’ve kind of added that fits their group.”

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Plaschke: Bring it on! Rams bench stars, lose game, but send a powerful playoff message

CHARGERS

From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Former Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott will be signed to the Chargers’ practice squad, according to a person with knowledge of the deal not authorized to speak publicly.

Elliott played 15 games for the Cowboys this season, rushing for 226 yards and three touchdowns before he asked to be released. With Rico Dowdle putting together his first 1,000-yard rushing season and the Cowboys outside of the playoff picture, the team that drafted the former Ohio State star fourth overall in 2016 granted the request and Elliott cleared waivers last week.

Pending a physical, the Chargers (11-6) expect to sign the 29-year-old to their practice squad on Tuesday ahead of the team’s wild-card playoff game in Houston at 1:30 p.m. PST on Saturday. The Chargers are playing to win their first postseason game since 2018.

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NFL PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE

Wild-card round
Saturday
All times Pacific

AFC
No. 5 Chargers at No. 4 Houston Texans, 1:30 p.m. (CBS, Paramount+)
No. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 3 Baltimore Ravens, 5 p.m. (Prime Video)

Sunday
AFC
No. 7 Denver Broncos at No. 2 Buffalo Bills, 10 a.m. (CBS, Paramount+)

NFC
No. 7 Green Bay Packers at No. 2 Philadelphia Eagles, 1:30 p.m. (FOX, FOX Deportes)
No. 6 Washington Commanders at No. 3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 5 p.m. (NBC, Peacock, Universo)

Monday
NFC
No. 5 Minnesota Vikings at No. 4 Rams, 5 p.m. (ESPN/ABC/ESPN+/ ESPN Deportes; ManningCast-ESPN2/ESPN+)

Divisional round: Jan. 18-19
Conference championships: Jan. 26
Super Bowl 59: Feb. 9 at New Orleans (Fox)

CLIPPERS

Anthony Edwards scored 28 of his 37 points in the second half and the Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a 19-point first-half deficit to beat the Clippers 108-106 on Monday night.

Edwards, who had a career-high 53 points in Saturday’s loss at Detroit, finished 14 of 29 from the field, including a pair of late three-pointers for his eighth game this season of 30-plus points.

Norman Powell led the Clippers with 25 points, James Harden added 22 and Ivica Zubac had 17 points and 16 rebounds. The Clippers have lost three of four.

In his second game back after missing the team’s first 34 while recovering from a right knee injury, Kawhi Leonard scored eight points on three-of-11 shooting. He had two assists and two rebounds in 20 minutes, 41 seconds.

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Clippers box score

NBA scores

NBA standings

USC FOOTBALL

From Ryan Kartje: With its plans next season at quarterback uncertain, USC is adding a former top prospect — and a familiar face — to the mix at the position.

Sam Huard started his career as a coveted, five-star quarterback prospect at Washington, before playing one season at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, then sitting out another because of injury at Utah.

Now he’s headed to USC, where he’ll join a position group led by his uncle, Trojans quarterbacks coach Luke Huard. Sam Huard announced his commitment Monday in a post on social media.

Huard is likely to step in initially as the third quarterback in USC’s pecking order at the position, with a chance to earn the backup role behind presumptive starter Jayden Maiava. USC coach Lincoln Riley said last month that the plan was to add a quarterback “for depth” in the transfer portal, with five-star freshman Husan Longstreet competing alongside Maiava.

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THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1920 — Joe Malone of Quebec scores two goals to become the NHL’s career leader with 59 and leads the Bulldogs to a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Arenas.

1925 — Harry Broadbent of the Montreal Maroons scores five goals in a 6-2 triumph over Hamilton.

1972 — The Lakers defeat the Atlanta Hawks 134-90 for their 33rd straight victory, an NBA record.

1979 — The Pittsburgh Steelers win their third AFC championship by beating the Houston Oilers 34-5 in a cold, steady rain at Three Rivers Stadium.

1981 — Marcel Dionne of the Kings scores his 1,000th point with a goal in a 5-3 triumph over the Hartford Whalers.

1987 — Gary Bossert of Niagara sets an NCAA record by hitting 12 of 14 three-point shots, including 11 straight, against Siena.

1992 — Pitchers Tom Seaver and Rollie Fingers are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Seaver receives the highest percentage of votes in baseball history.

1997 — Rutgers-Camden ends its NCAA-record 117-game losing streak with a 77-72 victory over Bloomfield College. The Division III Pioneers were winless since beating Ramapo on Jan. 18, 1992.

2003 — Kobe Bryant makes an NBA-record 12 shots from 3-point range, including nine straight, and scores 45 points in the Lakers’ 119-98 victory over the Seattle SuperSonics.

2004 — Brian Boucher becomes the first NHL goalie in almost 55 years to record four consecutive shutouts. His 27 saves carry the Phoenix Coyotes past Washington 3-0.

2006 — The New England Patriots set an NFL mark with 10 straight postseason victories by beating the Jacksonville Jaguars 28-3. New England’s milestone surpasses the nine straight playoff victories by Green Bay in the 1960s.

2007 — Coach Phil Jackson gets his 900th NBA victory as the Lakers defeat Dallas 101-98. Jackson is the fastest to reach 900, doing so in 1,264 games.

2008 — Second-ranked LSU turns the BCS national championship game into a horrible memory for No. 1 Ohio State. Matt Flynn throws four touchdown passes in a 38-24 win. LSU (12-2) becomes the first two-loss team to play for the title and wins its second BCS crown in five seasons.

2010 — Alabama knocks Texas quarterback Colt McCoy out of the BCS title game early and goes on to a 37-21 victory for the Crimson Tide’s first national title since 1992.

2011 — Rookie Luke Harangody has career highs with 17 points and 11 rebounds for his first NBA double-double, and the Boston Celtics earn the 3,000th victory in franchise history, beating the Toronto Raptors 122-102.

2012 — Old Dominion routs hapless Towson 75-38 giving the Tigers the NCAA Division I record for consecutive losses at 35. Towson had been tied at 34 with Sacramento State.

2012 — Jarome Iginla scores his 500th goal, leading the Calgary Flames to a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. Iginla is the 42nd player in NHL history to reach the milestone and the 15th to do it with one team.

2013 — Alabama rolls to its second consecutive BCS championship, and third in four seasons, beating No. 1 Notre Dame 42-14 in a BCS championship game. AJ McCarron throws four touchdown passes and Eddie Lacy runs for 140 yards and scores twice for the second-ranked Crimson Tide.

2019 — College Football, National Championship, Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara: #2 Clemson beats #1 Alabama, 44-16.

Compiled by the Associated Press