Justin Verlander fights back tears as Kate Upton joins him for emotional farewell before final MLB start

Justin Verlander fought back tears as he stood on the field at Comerica Park with wife Kate Upton and their children during an emotional ceremony Friday. Verlander is set to make the final start of his MLB career on Saturday, ending a 21-year run in baseball. His daughter, Genevieve, threw the ceremonial first pitch before running into her father’s arms. Upton watched from the field with their 1-year-old son, Bellamy, as Verlander thanked Detroit fans and spoke about leaving baseball to spend more time with his family.Justin Verlander gets emotional as Kate Upton and children join farewellVerlander told the Comerica Park crowd, “I am, and always will be, a Detroit Tiger,” as he struggled to hold back tears. His daughter Genevieve then threw out the first pitch and ran into his arms, making it a deeply personal moment. The children wore Tigers jackets with their father’s name and No. 35.Verlander, who began his MLB career with Detroit in 2005, returned to the Tigers this year for his final season after playing for the Houston Astros. MLB says he enters his last start with 266 wins and 3,554 strikeouts. He has won three Cy Young Awards and two World Series titles.Friday, Verlander explained why he decided to stop playing. “I feel like I ran my race. I gave it everything I had,” he said. He also pointed to his children as a reason. “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.”Justin Verlander opens up on 300 wins, Kate Upton and familyVerlander finished his career with 266 victories, falling short of the 300-win mark that had once looked possible. He admitted that missing the milestone was disappointing, but said it did not leave him feeling that he had failed to give everything to baseball.“I think it’s all how you look at it, right? I could be sad for what maybe I didn’t do. I didn’t make 300 wins. That was a goal.“I’m not going to go home and lay my head on my pillow tomorrow night, no matter how the game goes, and be like, I left something out there. I think that gives me some ease.”Upton and Verlander married in Italy in 2017, after he won the World Series with Houston. They first met during a commercial shoot in 2012 and began dating in 2014.Verlander has also spoken about how Upton supported him during a difficult period in his career. In 2018, he said, “She was instrumental in me not … like, jumping off a bridge,” before adding that he was depressed and hiding what he was going through.“I was depressed and kind of just upset at the world and trying to hide my own s***.“I don’t like to talk to people about being hurt. As athletes, you’re not supposed to … But [Upton] 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. Who knows, if I’m even here if it wasn’t for her?”On Saturday, Verlander is scheduled to make his 557th and final MLB start against the Pirates at Comerica Park, bringing his career back to Detroit.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.