Justin Verlander walked the All-Star red carpet Tuesday night with his wife Kate Upton and their two children. But the moment meant more than just another family photo op. It was his last one as a player.
Verlander, who announced last week he’d retire at the end of this season, suited up in a blue suit and carried their son Bellamy. The toddler wore brown overalls and little dress shoes. Their daughter Genevieve, 7, walked beside her parents in a white dress and matching headband. Upton went with an off-the-shoulder white dress, gold heels and black sunglasses. The whole crew looked like they stepped off a magazine cover.
The Tigers pitcher is currently dealing with a hamstring injury, so he didn’t actually pitch in his 10th All-Star appearance. He just showed up to soak it in. And bring his family along for the ride.
Retirement season
Verlander, 43, went public with his plans last week. He posted a long note on Instagram thanking the commissioner for the ASG nod and explaining why he’s calling it quits after 21 seasons.
“This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally,” he wrote. “I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time. Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come.”
He also gave a specific shoutout to Upton, his wife since 2017. “To my family, especially my wife Kate, thank you for standing beside me through every season, every rehab and every high and low. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
What a career looks like
Verlander has had a run that will put him in Cooperstown on the first ballot in 2032. Three Cy Young Awards. An MVP in 2011. Two World Series rings — one with the Astros in 2017 (which happened days before he and Upton got married) and another with Houston in 2022. He’s pitched for the Tigers, Astros, Mets and Giants across 21 seasons. The numbers alone are Hall of Fame stuff.
But on Tuesday night, the numbers weren’t the point. Verlander didn’t throw a single pitch. He just walked the carpet with his wife and kids, wearing that blue suit and carrying his son, while fans and teammates gave him the kind of sendoff you can’t put in a box score.
He’ll finish out the season with Detroit when his hamstring heals. After that, the next chapter starts. And for the first time in two decades, it won’t involve a baseball.
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