Former MLB second baseman Jeff Kent was understandably quite emotional upon receiving that much-awaited phone call informing the five-time All-Star second baseman that this coming July 26, 2026 he will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
“Absolutely unprepared. Emotionally unstable,” Kent said about hearing the news. “Thoughts are so far clouded.”
Kent, who holds the record for most home runs by an MLB second baseman with 351, received that heart pounding phone call on Sunday, December 7th, when this 57 year-old, who hadn’t played major league baseball in over 17 years, had trouble controlling his emotions upon being informed that he received 14 of 16 votes from the contemporary era committee, which more than qualifies him for entrance to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
“I hugged my wife after the phone call had come in,” Kent said. “And I told her that a lot of the game had come rushing back to me at that moment. Similar to my retirement speech, my farewell speech that I did in L.A., it reminds me of the ‘no crying in baseball.’ Well, I was bawling when I left the game because all that motion just overcomes you.”
Following his playing career, Kent first appeared in 2014 on the BBWAA, where he received only 15.2% Hall of Fame votes. Despite not playing anymore, the percentage year after year fluctuated and it wasn’t until 2023, which was Kent’s 10th and last year of being on the ballot, that his name was on 46.5% of BBWAA’s ballots. A far cry from the 75% needed to get in.
“The moments seemed to pass by in not utter disappointment but just disappointment, frustration, a little bit that I wasn’t better recognized,” Kent said. While he had to wait longer than he would like, Kent can now officially call himself a true Baseball Hall of Famer.
Kent’s only regret is never winning a World Series
Originally drafted in 1989, 20th round by the Toronto Blue Jays, Kent would go on to enjoy a successful 17-year MLB career, which saw him play for the Blue Jays (1992), New York Mets (1992-1996), Cleveland Indians (1996), Sa Francisco Giants (1997-2002), Houston Astros (2003-2004) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2008). In his career, Kent ended up hitting for a 290 lifetime batting average with 2,461 hits, 377 home runs, 1,320 runs scored, 94 stolen bases and 1,518 RBIs. Kent had an impressive resume which includes being a five-time All-Star, winning NL MVP honors for the 2000 season, being a four-time Silver-Slugger Award winner and receiving the distinction of going into the San Francisco Wall of Fame. Kent also slugged 560 doubles which ranks him 30th on the MLB all-time list.
Back in 1992, Kent was on the eventual World Series championship Blue Jays. He ended up playing just 65 games where he had 46 hits, scored 36 runs, hit eight home runs and had 35 RBI’s before being traded on August 27th to the Mets in a move which brought the Jays ace pitcher David Cone, who played a big role in their World Series win.
Kent would have to wait until 2002 to play in the World Series, where after a stellar regular season with the Giants which included 37 home runs and 108 RBI’s , he would go on to experience with his team World Series disappointment. In the series, San Francisco couldn’t wrap things up when they held a Game 6 5-0 lead to clinch. Instead it went to a deciding Game 7 which saw the Anaheim Angeles win it all. Kent often said that his biggest regret is not wining a World Series.
“I missed out on the one opportunity of the most fun ever, which is sitting on the floor in the locker room after you wo the last game of the season,” Kent said. “You’re done bragging about everything, you’re done doing the interviews and you’re just filthy, dirty and wet an you just sit on the floor and have this moment of completeness.”
Kent and Barry Bonds formed a lethal duel for the Giants
While they might not have exactly been best friends, both Kent and outfielder Barry Bonds have gone down in history as the Giants most fearsome power-hitting duels for the team. Over a six-year span from 1997-2002 these two belted 479 home runs. However, they might best be remembered for what happened on June 25, 2002, when these two got into a dugout argument during a game which escalated to pushing and eventually Bonds grabbing Kent by the throat and shoving him up against the dugout wall.
Amazingly enough after the altercation both hit home runs in that game.
This was a long overdue honor for Kent who finally finds his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Main Image: © Mike Watters-Imagn Images
