Kate Upton has expressed her mixed feelings about her husband Justin Verlander’s retirement from Major League Baseball, using humour to convey her excitement during a recent television appearance. Appearing on the *Today* show on 29th September, Upton quipped that she is looking forward to no longer attending baseball games following Verlander’s lengthy career.
The legendary MLB pitcher announced his retirement after an impressive 21-season career, primarily with the Detroit Tigers. During the *Today* show segment, co-host Savannah Guthrie inquired about Upton’s emotions surrounding her husband’s retirement. With a cheeky grin, she responded, “I’m so excited,” adding, “I am never watching another baseball game again. It was tears of joy for me.”
Justin Verlander’s career has been illustrious. He was a staple in the Tigers’ line-up and is renowned for his remarkable achievements on the mound. The couple, who first met in 2012 and married on 4th November 2017, have built a life together, welcoming their daughter, Genevieve, in 2018 and a son, Bellamy, in June 2025.
Upton’s light-hearted comments followed Verlander’s final game, which took place on 26th September against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The occasion was emotionally charged, particularly when Genevieve surprised her father on the mound, donning a Tigers jersey emblazoned with Verlander’s name and number. This touching moment, where father and daughter shared an embrace, culminated in a standing ovation from the crowd.
In a subsequent interview on *Good Morning America*, Verlander reflected on the emotional weight of his retirement. “There was so much emotion all weekend,” he shared with co-anchor Michael Strahan. The 43-year-old noted the significance of the moment, remarking, “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.”
Amid the tears, Verlander focused on ensuring that Genevieve felt reassured during their emotional farewell. He confided, “I just wanted to make sure she knew that I was in a good place and I’m so happy she was out there with me.” The poignant expression of joy and love was a hallmark of his career, encapsulating why he values family so deeply.
Looking ahead, Verlander spoke about the time he will now be able to dedicate to his loved ones. “One of the things I’m looking most forward to after baseball is spending time with them,” he said, emphasising the importance of family in his life. “My family means the world to me, and I’m just so happy that I get the opportunity to make up for lost time.”
Kate Upton, while rejoicing in her husband’s retirement, mirrored his sentiments about family, hinting at a future filled with shared experiences outside of the baseball spotlight. As the couple embarks on this new chapter, they seem poised to embrace the joys of family life, free from the demands of the baseball season.
As Justin Verlander moves into retirement, both he and Upton are preparing for a future that prioritises family, marking this transition as a celebration of not just a career’s end but the beginning of a new phase of life together.