Jeff Kent’s Hall of Fame day brought Houston back into the conversation.
The longtime second baseman was inducted on Sunday, and while he’s best known for his run with the San Francisco Giants, the Astros also got a shoutout from one of their former stars. Kent was one of three players enshrined in the ceremony, alongside Carlos Beltran, another player with Astros ties who spent time moving around the league.
Kent’s path to Cooperstown was a winding one. He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays, made his big league debut there, and then moved on through trades to the New York Mets and Cleveland before landing in San Francisco in 1999. That’s where he had his most productive stretch, but Houston was part of the story too, along with a later stop with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
On Sunday, Kent made it clear the Astros left a lasting impression.
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 arrived in Houston as a free agent before the 2023 season, with the Astros chasing their first National League pennant. At 36, he was viewed as the missing piece, and he delivered.
Over two seasons with Houston, he hit .293/.350/.521 with 49 home runs and 200 RBI. In 2004, he made the National League All-Star team and finished 13th in NL MVP voting, though the Astros still came up short of the World Series.
He left for the Dodgers the next year, and Houston finally got over the hump and reached its first Fall Classic, losing to the Chicago White Sox.
Kent, who was elected through the contemporary era ballot late last year, wrapped up a 17-year career with 377 home runs, the most by any everyday second baseman, and a .290/.356/.500 slash line.
In Other News...
Lance McCullers Jr.'s Brewers Stint Took An Unexpected Turn Fast
Lance McCullers Jr.s brief stop in Milwaukee already looks like a footnote in the larger Astros-Brewers deal that sent him and Colton Gordon to the other side of the trade ledger. The Brewers took on some of McCullers remaining contract money, but the move was always about more than just one pitcher changing uniforms, with Houston using the deal to clear salary as the trade deadline approached.
McCullers made two outings for Milwaukee before the club designated him for assignment, and now his next step depends on how the waiver process plays out. If he clears, a return to Houston on a minor-league deal is on the table, which would make this one of those rare late-July transactions that circles right back to where it started. [Read more 🡒]
Another Contender Is Suddenly Circling An Astros Cornerstone Shortstop
The Red Sox have already made one move to reshape the infield, sending Connelly Early to Washington to land Curtis Mead, and now their deadline focus appears to be turning to shortstop. According to USA Todays Bob Nightengale, Boston is looking at a pair of controllable options in Zach Neto of the Angels and Jeremy Pena of the Astros, which tells you the club is not just shopping for help, but for a long-term answer at a premium position.
For Houston, Penas name surfacing in that kind of conversation is the part worth noting. He remains under club control for several more years, which makes him the sort of player contenders do not pry loose easily, and any serious pursuit would figure to come with a steep price. Even so, the fact that Boston is circling a player with Penas profile is another reminder that the deadline market can get aggressive fast when a team decides it wants impact, not just depth. [Read more 🡒]
Hunter Brown Finally Looked Like The Astros Ace Joe Espada Saw
Hunter Brown gave the Astros exactly the kind of start they have been waiting to see, working seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in a 4-1 win over the White Sox. It was the kind of outing that fit the confidence Joe Espada had shown in him even through an injury-plagued season, and it marked Browns first trip into the seventh inning this year.
Browns stuff looked sharper, too, with his pitch speeds up across the board and his fastball and sinker showing a little more life. After allowing a single to Munetaka Murakami in the fourth, he settled in and retired 12 straight batters, the sort of stretch that made this feel less like a good night and more like a possible turning point. [Read more 🡒]