Jeff Kent Shows Astros Appreciation During Baseball Hall of Fame Induction

Jeff Kent wasn’t in Houston long. But the Astros can claim another Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.

Kent — who is most associated with the San Francisco Giants — was inducted on Sunday, one of three players who were enshrined during the ceremony. Another inductee with Astros ties was Carlos Beltran. Like Kent, he bounced around.

Kent was a draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays and made his MLB debut there before he was traded to the New York Mets, followed by a trade to Cleveland. He landed in San Francisco in 1999, where he enjoyed his most productive seasons, followed by stints with Houston and the Los Angeles Dodgers before ending his career.

On Sunday, he acknowledged his time in Houston, a time he holds in great affection.

Jeff Kent on His Time with Houston

Houston Astros former second baseman Jeff Kent is honored before a game. — Houston Astros former second baseman Jeff Kent. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kent spoke to MLB Network about his time with the Astros and had great things to say. Former Houston sports anchor Mark Berman collected the quote and posted it to X (formerly Twitter).

“My time in Houston meant more to me than the length on a baseball card would suggest,” Kent said. “Gerry Hunsicker was the GM there and knew me (from) my Mets days and believed in me enough to bring me in as a free agent and that trust mattered. Getting to play alongside the Killer B’s of Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio and Lance Berkman was special. Didn’t last as long as I wanted it to, but it left a permanent mark on me for what real leadership and accountability look like.”

Kent joined Houston as a free agent before the 2023 season as the Astros were trying to win their first National League pennant. The 36-year-old second baseman was seen as a final piece of the puzzle. He produced exactly as Houston had hoped.

In two seasons with the Astros, he slashed .293/.350/.521 with 49 home runs and 200 RBI. In 2004 he was named to the National League All-Star team and was 13th in NL MVP voting. But Houston fell short of the World Series.

Kent left for the Dodgers the following season and Houston finally broke through and made their first appearance in the fall classic, losing to the Chicago White Sox.

Kent, who was voted in on the contemporary era ballot late last year, finished his 17-year MLB career with 377 home runs, the most for any everyday second baseman and he had a career slash of .290/.356/.500.

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