On Saturday, Justin Verlander said farewell to his MLB career and delivered the final pitches of his storied major league career, and his wife, Kate Upton, was by his side.
Verlander has been in the business for more than two decades. He started his MLB career with the Detroit Tigers in 2005, and Verlander has delivered a legendary career for his fans over the past 21 years.
He's a three-time Cy Young Award winner, two-time World Series champion, Triple Crown winner and MVP. With those honors in place, he's certainly one of the more legendary players of his era.
On Saturday, Verlander threw out his final pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and his wife, Upton, was right there with him. The 43-year-old enjoyed a standing ovation on the field from the Detroit audience before tossing his final major league pitch.
The moment involved his whole family, including Upton and their children, as shared by the MLB.
Upton joined Verlander at Comerica Park with their 7-year-old daughter, Genevieve, and 1-year-old son, Bellamy. The four posed together on the field amid the franchise's weekend-long celebration of Verlander's career.
Before his final moments on the field, Verlander made it clear that he was ready for retirement.
"I feel like I ran my race. I gave it everything I had," Verlander said Friday, according to MLive.
He also talked about his family and how they've been a big part of his career.
"I'm a different person now because of them, and I've loved every moment of it, growing into a different person," Verlander added speaking with reporters ahead of his final game. "There's a quote that I like that says, 'What's the point of living life if you don't let life change you?'"
Now, he gets to spend more time with his loved ones and enjoy the start of his retirement.
