ST. LOUIS -- Giants first baseman Brandon Belt underwent season-ending surgery Friday morning in San Francisco to clean up the meniscus and cartilage in his right knee. Belt had played through the discomfort, but the Giants decided to go through with the procedure.
"It was a cleanup and all went well," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He'll just rehab and be ready for Spring Training."
Belt, who hadn't played since Sept. 14 against Colorado, finished the season batting .253 with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs in 112 games. As usual, Belt recorded a respectable OPS -- .756, trailing only Andrew McCutchen (.772) among Giants regulars. McCutchen was traded to the Yankees on Aug. 31.
Belt, 30, appeared destined for greater feats until the physical misfortune derailed him. Belt was batting .307 with 11 home runs, 31 RBIs and a .950 OPS through 53 games when appendicitis sidelined him on June 1.
"It's unfortunate because he got off to a great start and it looked like he was going to have a really nice year," Bochy said. "Then the couple stints on the DL really set him back."
Belt also missed 17 games after he hyperextended his right knee on July 25 at Seattle. He has been on the disabled list at least once in four of his eight big league seasons.