Kate Upton had no idea what she was getting into when she fell in love with a baseball player. The supermodel and actress, married to Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, recently opened up about her experiences on the “Chicks in the Office” podcast, shedding light on the chaotic life of a baseball wife.
“Being a baseball wife is absolutely insane. The schedule is wild and so long. I didn’t know,” Upton, 32, confessed. “I accidentally fell in love. I had no idea that there were this many games.”
MLB’s grueling schedule starts with spring training in February, followed by a 162-game regular season that spans six months from late March to early October. The postseason extends the season for another month.
“No consecutive off days, only Mondays and Thursdays,” Upton remarked, humorously noting those two days as her favorites. “I’m like, I don’t see him, especially when you start getting into late playoffs. The baseball is so exciting, but you’re like, ‘I haven’t seen my husband in months, they better win.’”
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The Astros went into the MLB All-Star break with a 50-46 record, just one game behind the AL West-leading Mariners (52-46).
Verlander, who debuted with the Detroit Tigers in 2005, has spent six seasons with Houston, excluding a brief stint with the Mets in 2023. The 41-year-old has a 3.95 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 57 innings across 10 starts this season.
“To watch someone you love out there and have no control, it was a totally new experience,” Upton shared. “It started this nervous energy running through me like, ‘Oh no!’ You want them to do well and feel good. He’s my husband. I want him to come home happy, not disappointed in how he played or what happened.”
Upton and Verlander first met during a commercial shoot in 2012, according to People. They began dating in 2014, got engaged before the 2016 baseball season, and married in 2017, just days after Verlander won the World Series in his first season with the Astros.
The couple welcomed their daughter Genevieve “Vivi” Upton Verlander, 6, the following year. Upton, who recently made her fourth appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, continues to navigate the complexities of being married to a professional athlete, balancing her career and family life with the demands of Verlander’s baseball schedule.
The candid revelations from Upton provide a glimpse into the less glamorous side of being a sports star’s spouse, highlighting the sacrifices and adjustments required to support a loved one’s career in professional sports.
