Jeff Kent Credits Giants, Dusty Baker with Paving His Road to Hall of Fame

Jeff Kent is likely to have a San Francisco Giants cap on his plaque at Cooperstown, and he credited the team and his manager for helping to get him there.

Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Jeff Kent will join San Francisco Giants legends in the Baseball Hall of Fame next July. But he knows he had plenty of help to get him there.

Then-general manager Brian Sabean was the one that made the trade to get Kent to San Francisco. At the time, it was controversial. He sent franchise mainstay Matt Williams in a package to acquire Kent from Cleveland. It paid off handsomely.

For his six years in San Francisco, he had a bWAR of 31.6 — he finished with a 53.5 bWAR for his career. He slashed .297/.368/.535 with 175 home runs and 689 RBI in San Francisco. He was a right-handed hitter in a ballpark that doesn’t always treat right-handed hitters well.

But he flourished in the Bay Area. And he knows why — the Giants and his manager, Dusty Baker.

“That was the turning point of my career,” Kent said earlier this week at the MLB winter meetings in video captured by the San Jose Mercury-News's Justice delos Santos.

Jeff Kent Reflects on Giants, Baker

Jeff Kent said he couldn't envision himself being a Hall of Famer without his time in San Francisco. Kent described it as the "turning point in my career" and again credited Dusty Baker for lighting a fire.

"I would not be here without the Giants." pic.twitter.com/DHYBvHGB87

— Justice delos Santos (@justdelossantos) December 8, 2025

When Kent arrived in San Francisco, he was a good player. He had started to show some of the power he flashed with the Giants, mostly with the New York Mets, where he credited then-manager Dallas Green with showing him the ropes as a young Major League player.

But in San Francisco he worked under Baker, the legendary manager who a playing career that spanned so long he played with Hank Aaron and Mark McGwire. San Francisco was already a good time when Kent arrived. But Baker helped get more out of Kent, and by doing so eventually helped the franchise reach the 2002 World Series.

“[Baker said] We need to be better, not to achieve normal standard, but to achieve more and Dusty was a guy that really understood how to get the best out of his players. I think he knew that I had more to give and he fired that up in me,” Kent said.

With Baker pushing him, Kent earned recognition every season he was in San Francisco. He was a three-time All-Star, a three-time National League Silver Slugger at his position and the 2000 National League MVP. That season he slashed .334/.424/.596 with 33 home runs and 125 RBI. He and Barry Bonds fueled the Giants run to the 2002 World Series, which ended with a loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

Kent’s career ended with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008. By then, his 377 home runs were the most for any everyday second baseman and he had a career slash of .290/.356/.500. Even at age 40 with the Dodgers he batted .280 in 121 games at his position. He was one of the best there was at second base. Baker and the Giants helped get him there.