Justin Verlander had the support of his wife, Kate Upton, and their two kids for a special career moment for the baseball star.
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The MLB icon, 43, was joined by Upton, 34, and their daughter Genevieve, 7, and son Bellamy, 1, at a pregame retirement ceremony at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, September 25.
Verlander was honored by the Detroit Tigers at his final start of his 21-season career and shared a message to the team’s fans at a press conference on Friday afternoon.
“I feel like I ran my race. I gave it everything I had,” Verlander said, per MLive.
He added, “I see my daughter, who’s seven now, and how fast that goes and how much of that time frame I’ve missed already. I have a 1-year-old son now. I know that I’m going to be able to be there for him and experience more of that childhood that I missed, unfortunately, with my daughter. Also be there for her in some very formative years coming up.”
Verlander added that getting married and having children had “tremendously” impacted his career, and helped him see things in a new light.
“I’m a different person now because of them, and I’ve loved every moment of it, growing into a different person. There’s a quote that I like that says, ‘What’s the point of living life if you don’t let life change you?'” he shared.
The athlete and Sports IllustratedSwimsuit model first met while working together in February 2012 on the set of a commercial for the Major League Baseball 2K12 video game.
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The pair dated on and off before getting engaged in May 2016. The following year, Verlander and Upton tied the knot in a ceremony in Tuscany, Italy.
“I feel so lucky that I got to marry my best friend!!” Upton tweeted after the wedding. “Thank you to our family and friends for making this weekend so fun and magical!”
Verlander heaped praise on Upton during an interview with Bleacher Report in August 2018, crediting her being an incredible support to him during challenging periods.
“She was instrumental in me not … like, jumping off a bridge. I was depressed and kind of just upset at the world and trying to hide my own s**t,” he told the outlet, explaining Upton helped him get through his hernia surgery and recovery.
He added: “F**k, man, she was what I needed. I don’t like to talk to people about being hurt. As athletes, you’re not supposed to. It’s an excuse. … But she was someone I could talk to. I mean, basically a therapist. Somebody I could trust with … worries about my career. Worries about, ‘Can I make it?’ Worries about what I’m going through to get back. And just the overall s**tiness of it all.”
In November 2018, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Genevieve. Their son, Bellamy followed in June 2025.
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This story was originally published September 26, 2026 at 1:01 AM.