SF Giants to retire Jeff Kent’s No. 21 after being elected to the Hall of Fame

Last month, former SF Giants second baseman Jeff Kent was elected to the Hall of Fame through the Contemporary Era Baseball Committee. On Thursday, the Giants announced that they plan to hold a Hall of Fame celebration for Kent, which will include retiring his No. 21.

SF Giants to retire Jeff Kent’s No. 21 after being elected to the Hall of Fame

The celebration will take place before a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 29, 2026. They will be giving away Hall of Fame Inductee replica rings to the first 21,000 fans.

This is probably a celebration the Giants did not expect to hold a couple of months ago. Kent appeared on the BBWAA ballot 10 times, but never came close to the 75-percent threshold needed for induction. In Kent’s final season on the ballot, he saw a notable uptick in support by appearing on 46.5 percent of the ballots.

The Veterans Committee provides a nice check against the BBWAA vote. That committee consists of former players and coaches, as well as baseball historians. Players still need the same 75-percent threshold for induction. 

Of the 16 ballots cast, Kent received 14 votes. He was the only player to be elected through this channel. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were also on the ballot, but they received little support and will not be eligible for consideration during the next cycle.

Kent appeared in 17 major league seasons, including six years with the Giants. He tallied at least 20 home runs and 100 RBI in every season with San Francisco. His run marked one of the best stretches by a hitter in Giants history. 

In his final home game in a Giants uniform, Kent blasted two home runs on the way to a 16-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels in a Game 5 of the 2002 World Series. His final major league home run came against the Giants at Oracle Park in 2008. The right-handed hitter finished his career with 377 home runs, which remains the most by a second baseman in baseball history.

Kent also played for the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Cleveland Guardians, Houston Astros, and Los Angeles Dodgers throughout his career. 

The Giants never took his number out of circulation, and it has been worn by 18 different players since Kent’s tenure concluded after 2002. Traditionally, the Giants have waited until a player has reached the Hall of Fame until their number is retired. However, they have relaxed on that policy in a good way in recent years by retiring No. 22 and No. 25 for Will Clark and Barry Bonds, respectively. Kent’s No. 21 will now be retired in San Francisco to celebrate a great career on the baseball field.