Belt needs surgery, future is in limbo
SAN FRANCISCO >> Brandon Belt will undergo season-ending surgery on his right knee, the team announced on Friday. The procedure on his troublesome knee could spell the end of 34-year-old Belt’s MLB career.
But Belt has bounced back from a handful of surgeries in his career, which gives Giants manager Gabe Kapler hope that he may return to baseball in 2023.
“He’s had major issues before and come back,” Kapler said. “For me, the best predictor of future performance is past performance. He’s shown that he can get through major injuries in the past, so there’s no reason you can’t do it again.”
Belt was not available prior to the Giants’ game against Philadelphia on Friday, but told NBC Sports Bay Area that he expects to bounce back like he did years ago. He made the All-Star team in 2016 following an operation on his right torn meniscus in 2015. He had a second surgery in 2018 to clean up cartilage damage from the previous procedure. But in his year-35 season, time will tell how he heals.
“If I can get it strong like I did, then I’ll play,” he told NBC. “But if not, hen I’m not going to go out there and be substandard all the time. We’ll just have to see.”
Dr. Ken Akizuki will perform the arthroscopic surgery on Saturday in San Francisco, marking the end to a season Belt hoped to build off a strong 2021 season. He was devastated not to return for the final months of the season, manager Gabe Kapler said.
“He had his heart set on it,” Kapler said. “This is jut kind of the ending of that and I think we’ve been trending in this direction and Brandon has fought so hard and wanted to be out there for his teammates and for all of us and we just weren’t able to get over the hump. Sometimes that happens and that’s where we are with it.”
Ultimately, Belt couldn’t ignore the swelling and discomfort that started in spring training and persisted throughout the season. He had his knee drained multiple times, sending him to the injured list twice this year. The first baseman hasn’t played since last Saturday in Denver against the Rockies, having gone 0-for-his-last-15 with two hits over his 11 games.
He has a career-low .676 OPS and hasn’t homered since the All-Star break. Belt is coming off a career-best .975 OPS, albeit, in 97 games, in 2021. In 78 games this year, Belt is slashing 213/.326/.350. Numbers which are clearly impacted by his swollen knee.
“It was especially challenging,” Kapler said. “Because when you’re in pain every day, it’s not just about the physical issues that you’re having on the field. It has a real cascading effect on you and your mental health. Being banged up all the time makes you feel bummed all the tie. It’s hard to ramp your body up to train really hard. There’s a real ripple effect.”
Tuesday, Belt got a second opinion from Dr. Timothy McAdams, who recommended surgery. McAdams saw the same “cartilage issue that we’ve been seeing (since) spring training,” Kapler said last week.
Belt will be a free agent this offseason after accepting an $18.4 million qualifying offer last year. Would Kapler like to see Belt back with the Giants in 2023?
“Yeah,” he said. “I love having Brandon.”
NOTES
• Jose Alvarez underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, the team announced. Alvarez was a key part of the Giants’ bullpen in 2021, putting together a 2.37 ERA in 64 2/3 innings pitched. Alvarez, on a oneyear, $1.15 million deal this year, will be a free agent this offseason.
• Joey Bart is recovering well from his concussion and could return to the lineup by Tuesday or Wednesday, Kapler said. Bart was placed on the concussion IL when hit by a foul-tip behind the plate on Monday night.