"It was like watching The Real Housewives but baseball" - When Justin Verlander's wife Kate Upton reflected on early days of dating ex-Astros ace

Former Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander is looking for a new team after electing for free agency following an injury-riddled season in 2024. The 41-year-old believes he has some baseball left in his despite his recent struggles with injuries.

Justin Verlander has been a part of the MLB for nearly two decades after making his debut in 2005. The three-time Cy Young winner has seen plenty of ups and downs, with his supermodel wife, Kate Upt, being by his side in the later part of his career.

Upton and Verlander reportedly met during an ad shoot in 2012 and started dating in 2014. They married in 2017, two days after the MLB ace won his first World Series ring with the Detroit Tigers.

The Sports Illustrated model and actress described what it was like being with Verlander when she started dating him. In a chat with Sirius XM's Andy Cohen in April, Upton said:

"When Justin and I first started dating, It was like I was watching The Real Housewives but of baseball and it was very fun. I didn't love to be involved in it, but I just love to watch, but it never really works out like that."

She elaborated:

"What I've understood is that they are not supposed to stir up things in the locker room, but I'm like, why are we arguing at all? You think it'd more of a professional workspace, and you are like the wives of this business, but that is not how they look at it."

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Justin Verlander's wife Kate Upton was surprised by 'wild' baseball schedule

Kate Upton and Justin Verlander share a daughter, and the actress can often be seen in the stands donning her iconic Astros jacket in support of the veteran hurler. While Upton has come to terms with baseball, it wasn't as fun to start with.

"Being a baseball wife is absolutely insane," Upton said on Barstool Sports' Chicks in the Office podcast in July.

"This schedule is wild. It's so long. I didn't know. ... I accidentally fell in love. I had no idea, there's how many games? I was like wait, I thought this was a cute summer thing. It's baseball season. This is eight months, they're doing 162 games, no consecutive off days, only Mondays and Thursdays."

Upton has been Verlander's rock and therapist in his toughest days and will be by his side as the future Hall of Famer edges closer to calling time on his illustrious MLB career.