"F*ck, man, she was what I needed" - When Justin Verlander explained how wife Kate Upton became his 'therapist' as Astros star battled depression

MLB: World Series-Philadelphia Phillies at Houston Astros - Source: Imagn — When Justin Verlander explained how wife Kate Upton became his 'therapist' as Astros star battled depression - Image source: Imagn

Justin Verlander is a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer when he ends his storied MLB career. He has achieved nearly everything a pitcher could, but it hasn't always been easy. The three-time Cy Young winner may look formidable on the mound, but even he has weak moments. However, he also has his wife, Kate Upton, by his side to pull him through tough days.

In 2018, Verlander recalled in an interview with Bleacher Report how his wife aided him during a tough phase of his life. During the 2014 season, Verlander struggled with injuries for the Detroit Tigers. His strikeouts nosedived while ERA and WHIP shot up.

To compound his misery, he came down with a shoulder issue in an Aug. 11 game against the Pittsburgh Pirates that year. He conceded five runs in just one inning and broke down on the way to the clubhouse after being pulled from the game.

“She was instrumental in me not like, jumping off a bridge,” Verlander said. “I was depressed and kind of just upset at the world and trying to hide my own shit. F**k, man. She was what I needed.”

Verlander and Upton started dating when the veteran hurler and the model met during a commercial shoot in 2012. Upton stuck by Verlander as he made a resounding comeback in his career. A two-time World Series champion, Verlander talked about the dark side of being an athlete:

“I don’t like to talk to people about being hurt. As athletes, you’re not supposed to. It’s an excuse. … But she 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. And just the overall shittiness of it all.”

Justin Verlander married Kate Upton two days after he won his first World Series title with the Tigers in 2017. They were blessed with a girl, Genevieve, a year later.

Justin Verlander not giving up on his MLB career just yet

Much like 2014, Justin Verlander struggled with injuries this year, spending most of his time with the Houston Astros on the injured list. Even after his return, the nine-time All-Star struggled to be consistent and was left out of the Astros' Wild Card roster.

With just 38 wins away from the elusive 300-win club, Verlander, at 41, is determined for another MLB season.

“I do feel like I have a lot more to give pitching-wise,” Verlander said following the Astros’ postseason exit in October. "I definitely feel like I want to continue to pitch and compete. I’m not ready to step away yet.” [h/t MLB.com]

As a free agent, Justin Verlander may not be the most coveted player in the offseason, but his experience could be an asset to any team looking to add a reliable arm.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

Know More

Edited by Garima