After 14 Seasons, Justin Verlander Thanks Kate Upton as He Retires from Baseball

It’s the end of an era. Justin Verlander, one of baseball’s most dominant pitchers, announced his retirement from Major League Baseball in July 2026 after a storied 14-year career. But what made headlines wasn’t just the retirement itself—it was the heartfelt gratitude he expressed toward his wife, supermodel and actress Kate Upton.

In his announcement, Verlander didn’t shy away from crediting his partner with helping him through the toughest moments of his athletic life.“To my family, especially my wife Kate, thank you for standing beside me through every season, ever rehab and every high and low,”he wrote.“I couldn’t have done this without you.”Those aren’t just polite words from someone signing off from a sport—they’re a window into how deeply Upton supported a career that demanded everything from him.

Their journey together spans over a decade. Verlander and Upton met on a commercial set for Major League Baseball 2K12 in February 2012, but it took nearly a year before they made their relationship public. The path wasn’t always smooth—they split briefly in 2013 before reuniting in the Bahamas in January 2014. By 2016, Verlander had proposed with a massive diamond ring that Upton debuted at the Met Gala. They married in November 2017, just days after Verlander’s Houston Astros won the World Series, and have since welcomed two children: daughter Genevieve in 2018 and son Bellamy in 2025.

What’s particularly striking is how openly Verlander has spoken about leaning on Upton during his darkest professional moments. In an August 2018 interview, he revealed that depression and uncertainty about his recovery from hernia surgery had pushed him to dark places.“She was instrumental in me not…like, jumping off a bridge,”he told Bleacher Report, describing how Upton became a therapist of sorts—someone he could trust with his deepest fears about whether his career could survive. That kind of vulnerability from a professional athlete is rare, but it speaks to the weight she carried alongside him.

The couple has grown their family while navigating the grueling demands of an MLB career. They’ve celebrated his achievements together, from his 2020 Cy Young Award to his historic 2022 World Series victory—his second championship with Houston. Through it all, Upton has publicly championed his work ethic and dedication, posting tributes to his resilience and the comeback he orchestrated after Tommy John surgery.

As Verlander heads into the final chapter of his playing career—he’s promised to finish the 2026 season with everything he has—his message to Kate is a reminder that behind every great athlete is someone willing to hold them up when the pressure becomes unbearable. It’s a partnership that lasted longer than many marriages, and one that clearly mattered far more than any stat line ever could.