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Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by AdpathwayKate Upton Enjoys Rare Family Night Out With Husband Justin Verlander and Their 2 Kids
Justin Verlander’s final game was in a league of its own.
That’s because the Detroit Tigers pitcher wrapped up his 21-year Major League Baseball career in the sweetest way—with his and Kate Upton’s 7-year-old daughter Genevieve by his side.
During the Tigers’ Sept. 26 face-off against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan, the 43-year-old was walking away from the pitcher’s mound for the final time when his little girl ran out on the field sporting a Tigers jersey with her dad’s name on it.
In a video shared to the Tigers’ TikTok account, Justin—also dad to 15-month-old son Bellamy with Kate—wasted no time in embracing his daughter as the crowd went wild. Overcome by emotion, the MLB star began to sob as he held Genevieve tight.
But the sweet family moments didn’t stop there. After all, Kate, 34, walked out in front of the dugout to support her husband as she held their toddler in her arms. The entire family then enjoyed a group hug before Justin tipped his hat to the crowd one last time and descended the dugout steps.
The 10-time MLB All-Star announced he’d be retiring from baseball in July.
“I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar,” he wrote in a July 8 Instagram statement. “I wanted the game to tell me when it was time. Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come.”
Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images
And while he also thanked his professional colleagues who got him to where he is today, Justin also gave his wife of eight years a tender shoutout.
“To my family, especially my wife Kate, thank you for standing beside me through every season, every rehab, and every high and low,” he continued. “I couldn’t have done this without you. It’s time for the next chapter.”
And now that Justin has taken his final bow on the field, he couldn’t have asked for a better sendoff.
“The way it went, with Genevieve running out, I mean, I had no clue [it was going to happen],” Justin said after Detroit’s 4-3 walk-off win against Pittsburgh, per MLB. “I was totally blindsided, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. That was amazing.”
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
“I was sobbing and I had to tell her, just to make sure she understood, I was happy,” he said. “She’s never seen me cry like that.”
As for what made the moment so emotional for the dad of two?
“I’ve been a baseball player since I was 5 years old,” he explained. “I mean, I gave everything for this.”
“I left home. She’s in school, and I wasn’t there,” he said of his daughter through tears. “There’s just a level of commitment it takes to be great at something. And I hope she understands she means the world to me. My family means the world to me. And I’m just so happy that I get the opportunity to make up for lost time.”
Keep reading for more stars and their mini-me kids…
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