Genevieve and Kate Upton. John Salangsang/Shutterstock
Daddy’s cheerleaders! Kate UptonGenevieve, Genevieve’s 3-year-old sister, came to her support Justin VerlanderRed Carpet for the MLB All-Star Game
“Can I just take a moment and brag about my husband? 😍,” Upton, 30, captioned a couple of Instagram snapshots from the Tuesday, July 19, event. “Justin had TJ surgery and had to step away from playing for almost two years. He has done so much to get where he’s at today. … He is continuing to break records and hit new milestones in his career. It was great to see Justin’s family support him at his 9th All Star Experience. @justinverlander, you are so proud! ❤️.”
The 39-year-old Astros pitcher underwent Tommy John surgery in October 2020, a procedure that replaces an arm’s torn ligament with a healthy tendon extracted from an arm or leg. He returned to the pitching mound in April 2022, telling MLB.com it felt like he was back at his “happy place.”
In the photos from Tuesday’s event, Verlander rocked a gold suit while his wife donned a white, one-sleeved minidress and strappy heels. Genevieve, for her part, held her parents’ hands in a yellow dress.
The Sports Illustrated SwimsuitModel and athlete met while filming a commercial for the Major League Baseball 2K12videogame in February 2012 and made their relationship public the following January. The couple broke up in February 2012, but they reunited in January 2014. They were married in Italy in November 2017 just three days after Verlander won MLB championship series.
The baseball player opened his mouth to Us WeeklyJoking about Upton’s sheer gown for the reception at the March 2018 wedding. “The second I saw her in that, I was like, ‘OK, time to go. Let’s get out of here. Wedding over!’” he said. That November, the happy couple welcomed Genevieve, or “Vivi,” to the world.
“She’s been the most amazing woman and mom,” Verlander told UseThe Other WomenMarch 2019, actress “I knew that she would set a great example for our daughter, no matter what. It’s the person that she is, it’s the person who I married. I’ve always appreciated her for her strength.”
He continued, “But just seeing her interact, all the nurturing and everything that goes on with being a mother, it’s been tremendous to watch. I know it’s not easy for her either, but it’s quite a connection that they have, and it’s really special for me to be able to witness that and be a part of it.”
Upton has, for her, placed her daughter at its center since becoming a mom. “[Motherhood has] changed my entire perspective,” she said during a November 2020 appearance on Today. “Everything I do is for her, wanting to make the world better for her, wanting to be better for her.”
