Jeff Kent rants unfiltered about Alex Rodriguez during a live stream

During the live broadcast of KNBR San Francisco Giants vs. Chicago Cubs spring training game on Sunday, Hall of Famer Jeff Kent spoke angrily about it Alec Rodriguez.

The an outage occurred in the second inning when the announcers called out the well-known play from June 1998. At the time, Rodriguez was playing for the Seattle Mariners and drove into Kent at second base while making a pitch to break up a double play, injuring Kent’s knee.

“Tore up my knee. He slid and rolled his fat length by the base, son of a devil.”

“Tore up my knee. He slid and rolled his fat ass off the base, you son of a bitch.”

Jeff Kent was asked about the sprained knee he suffered when Alex Rodriguez ran into him in 1998. pic.twitter.com/gjmmB3VO02

— Jomboi Media (@JomboiMedia) February 22, 2026

Kent, a five-time All-Star second baseman who played for the Giants from 1997-2002, is clearly still upset about it. Nearly thirty years later, the memory of that 1998 slide remains vivid for Kent.

He added that Rodriguez should have known better than to make such an aggressive slide, especially as a fellow midfielder.

Kent was sidelined for a full month. It came at the worst possible time, as he was in the midst of one of the hottest stretches of his career before the knee injury. In the eight games he played in June 1998, before the incident, he hit .448 with two home runs, 13 RBIs and a 1.259 OPS.

Despite missing some time, Kent still had a solid season. He posted a .297/.359/.555 slash line in 137 games and hit 31 home runs with 128 RBIs.

For his achievements on the field, the 57-year-old received the recognition that every footballer dreams of. He was elected to the baseball hall of fame last December.

Kent was on the ballot along with former team-mate Barry Bonds, who did not receive enough support and will have to wait a few more years for another chance. Kent was the only one of the eight players on the ballot to receive more than the 12 votes needed.

He received the support of 14 of 16 voters and was the only player in double figures. Bonds received less than five votes, the Hall of Fame announced, meaning he will not be eligible for the committee again until 2031.

More honors followed in the Hall of Fame honor, as the Giants will retire Kent’s No. 21 on Aug. 29.

Finally, Jeff Kent’s reference to the Alex Rodriguez incident rekindled old baseball grudges. It’s a clear reminder that not everything that happens on the field stays.