Brandon Belt may have played his final game as a San Francisco Giant.
The veteran first baseman sought a second opinion on his right knee on Tuesday, and surgery is “on the table,” manager Gabe Kapler said.
The 34-year-old has dealt with chronic knee issues, particularly with the cartilage, in the past and especially this season. He’s had the knee drained three times in 2022 and it has been surgically repaired multiple times prior.
“Dr. (Timothy) McAdams saw Brandon today and saw the same cartilage issue we’ve been seeing since spring training and dealing with,” Kapler said. “He did note it’s something that’s worthy of surgical intervention, if we decide to go that route. Brandon is meeting with his agent and thinking through things at this point. We’re going to do what’s best for the Giants and for Brandon.”
Kapler said he expects Belt to make a decision within the next 24 hours or so, but he hasn’t met with the first baseman yet Tuesday.
An original MRI revealed no additional structural damage — just the chronic issues that have surfaced often this year. Kapler said Monday that Belt’s inflamed right knee is more swollen and more sore than it has been.
Belt has openly discussed the prospect of another possible surgery, potentially in the offseason. As the miles have added up — he’s played 1,310 career games with the Giants, eighth-most in franchise history — the tires have treaded.
The Giants are currently 61-66 — a season-worst five games below .500 — and trail the Padres for the third wild card spot by 8.5 games.
On Opening Day, Belt made a grand entrance by riding on a boat through the left field wall and wearing a captain’s hat. He had excellent seasons in both 2020 and 2021, when he pronounced himself Captain of the team.
But his 2021 season got cut short when he broke his thumb in Coors Field while squaring up to bunt. He was unavailable in the NLDS, when the Dodgers bounced the Giants from the playoffs in five games.
His last game of 2022 before hitting the injured list also came in Denver.
If Belt does opt for surgery, his season will be done after 78 games. He returned to the Giants this offseason on the $18 million qualifying offer and has posted career-lows in batting average (.213) and OPS (.676).
Belt is set to become a free agent after this season. When he hit the injured list for this latest knee injury, he told The San Francisco Chronicle that it’s hard not to think about it in terms of the future of his career.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen — I try not to put too much thought into it,” Belt told The Chronicle. “But yeah, I mean, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about what happens if I’m not able to bounce back. But I don’t like thinking about it, because it’s kind of upsetting.”
Belt won World Series rings with the Giants in 2012 and 2014. He ranks in the top-10 in franchise history in career home runs, walks, strikeouts and extra base hits.