Kate Upton revealed she’s relieved that her husband Justin Verlander’s retirement means no more baseball games for her to watch. Appearing on the Today show on Tuesday, Sept. 29, the model said she was “so excited” about the end of the MLB star’s 21-season career and added with a laugh, “I am never watching another baseball game again.” She described her reaction as “tears of joy.”
Verlander, 43, announced his retirement after finishing his final game on Sept. 26, pitching for the Detroit Tigers against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park in Detroit. The pitcher’s last outing became an emotional moment when his daughter, Genevieve, surprised him on the mound wearing a Tigers jersey bearing his name and number. The two shared an embrace, bringing Verlander to tears as the crowd gave him a standing ovation. His teammates surrounded him before he left the field holding his daughter’s hand.
Speaking on Good Morning America the same day, Verlander reflected on the weekend’s emotions and the significance of ending his baseball career. “Obviously, your life as you know it is coming to an end, and I feel like I ran my race and gave everything I had to the game,” he told co-anchor Michael Strahan. When Genevieve joined him on the mound, Verlander said he wanted to reassure her and whispered, “I’m just so happy.”
Verlander and Upton met in 2012 and married on Nov. 4, 2017. They have two children: Genevieve, born in November 2018, and Bellamy Brooks, born in June 2025. Throughout his career, the family has often been present at his games, as seen in photos from Comerica Park in Detroit.
The pitcher spoke about looking forward to spending more time with his family after retirement. “My family means the world to me,” he said. “And I’m just so happy that I get the opportunity to make up for lost time.”
Upton’s lighthearted comment on the Today show offered a glimpse of relief that the long seasons of baseball and its demands on the family’s schedule are over. Verlander’s final moments on the field were marked by the presence of his loved ones and a crowd appreciative of his contribution to the sport.
According to Yahoo Sports.
