Tribune Publishing — up until Oct. 4 known as Tronc — is inching closer to a potential merger with the McClatchy Co.

One source said the parties are “trying to fast-track it” now that billionaire LA Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong is offering to sweeten a pending deal by kicking up to $150 million in cash into the pot.

That comes in addition to Soon-Shiong rolling his 25 percent stock holding in Tribune Publishing into the proposed new company. The other 75 percent of shares of Tribune — whose holdings include the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun and the struggling Daily News — will have to be bought out. Most are expecting that tab will eventually come to around $500 million.

Soon-Shiong is trying to put together a buyout deal in conjunction with the McClatchy family — which controls the publisher of the Miami Herald, Kansas City Star and 27 other daily papers — and Chatham Asset Management, which has agreed to swap its $300 million in McClatchy loans for equity in a combined company.

Not clear is how the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union Tribune that Soon-Shiong bought from Tronc in June for $500 million will fit into a combined Tribune/McClatchy.

Also unclear is if the name change on Thursday means that that name will survive if the deal comes together with McClatchy.