The Los Angeles Daily News is reporting that the Dodgers’ second basemen Jeff Kent’s career might be over because of torn cartilage in one of his knees.
Kent was sent back to Los Angeles for an MRI exam after leaving Friday night’s game at Arizona with pain in his left knee. Although that exam hadn’t taken place as of game time Saturday night, club officials had a strong suspicion as to what it likely would show.
Kent, 40, has been playing through pain from slightly torn cartilage in his knee for about a month, fully aware that the continued grind of playing baseball on an everyday basis meant there was a strong risk of additional, more painful tearing.
That additional tearing is believed to be what took place during Friday’s game. Kent was said to be in “excruciating pain” after leaving the game, and club officials were holding out slim hope of getting him back in what is widely expected to be his final season.
Kent has yet to announce his plans following this final season of his two-year, $18 million contract with the Dodgers. But even without the injury, it would have seemed like the perfect time to walk away. Given the injury is of the “wear-and-tear” variety and not unexpected for a man of Kent’s age playing such a demanding sport, it is difficult to imagine him playing another year.
The guy has proved to be an asshole during his career, but there’s no doubt Kent has been one of the best hitters over the last decade. He’s never won a ring, but he’s accomplished a lot with the bat. (Of course, some will note that Kent greatly benefited from having Barry Bonds protect him in the lineup for so many seasons.)
