Justin Verlander's Daughter Genevieve Surprises Him During Final Game

1 hour ago 10

Kate Upton Enjoys Rare Family Night Out With Husband Justin Verlander and Their 2 Kids

Justin Verlander’s final game was in a league of its own.

That’s because the Detroit Tigers pitcher wrapped up his 21-year Major League Baseball career in the sweetest way—with his and Kate Upton’s 7-year-old daughter Genevieve by his side.

During the Tigers’ Sept. 26 face-off against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan, the 43-year-old was walking away from the pitcher’s mound for the final time when his little girl ran out on the field sporting a Tigers jersey with her dad’s name on it.

In a video shared to the Tigers’ TikTok account, Justin—also dad to 15-month-old son Bellamy with Kate—wasted no time in embracing his daughter as the crowd went wild. Overcome by emotion, the MLB star began to sob as he held Genevieve tight.

But the sweet family moments didn’t stop there. After all, Kate, 34, walked out in front of the dugout to support her husband as she held their toddler in her arms. The entire family then enjoyed a group hug before Justin tipped his hat to the crowd one last time and descended the dugout steps.

The 10-time MLB All-Star announced he’d be retiring from baseball in July.

“I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar,” he wrote in a July 8 Instagram statement. “I wanted the game to tell me when it was time. Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come.”

Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images

And while he also thanked his professional colleagues who got him to where he is today, Justin also gave his wife of eight years a tender shoutout.  

“To my family, especially my wife Kate, thank you for standing beside me through every season, every rehab, and every high and low,” he continued. “I couldn’t have done this without you. It’s time for the next chapter.”

And now that Justin has taken his final bow on the field, he couldn’t have asked for a better sendoff.

“The way it went, with Genevieve running out, I mean, I had no clue [it was going to happen],” Justin said after Detroit’s 4-3 walk-off win against Pittsburgh, per MLB. “I was totally blindsided, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. That was amazing.”

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

“I was sobbing and I had to tell her, just to make sure she understood, I was happy,” he said. “She’s never seen me cry like that.”

As for what made the moment so emotional for the dad of two?

“I’ve been a baseball player since I was 5 years old,” he explained. “I mean, I gave everything for this.”

“I left home. She’s in school, and I wasn’t there,” he said of his daughter through tears. “There’s just a level of commitment it takes to be great at something. And I hope she understands she means the world to me. My family means the world to me. And I’m just so happy that I get the opportunity to make up for lost time.”

Keep reading for more stars and their mini-me kids…

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Teyana Taylor, Junie Shumpert & Rue Shumpert

Looking more like sisters, there's one resemblance after another between the Oscar nominee and her daughters Junie Shumpert and Rue Shumpert, who she shares with NBA alum Iman Shumpert.

John Parra/Getty Images for Beaches Resorts

Jodie Sweetin & Zoie Herpin

Full House alum Jodie Sweetin's, uh, full house includes her lookalike eldest daughter Zoie (left) and her two years younger little sis Beatrix.

Tom Llamas/Instagram

Tom Llamas & Tomas Llamas

A total touchdown moment. NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas and his son Tomas celebrated the Miami Hurricanes' January 2026 win in an adorable selfie. 

Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Victoria's Secret

Yolanda Hadid & Gigi Hadid

Like mother like daughter. After becoming a household name on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, former supermodel Yolanda Hadid's daughter Gigi Hadid broke into the fashion industry as a teen and has been rocking runways ever since.

Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Clint Eastwood & Scott Eastwood

Clint Eastwood's fifth child, son Scott Eastwood, has followed in his movie star footsteps by starring in films like Suicide Squad, Snowden, The Fate of the Furious and Pacific Rim.

Larry French/Getty Images for The Jefferson Awards Foundation

Jon Bon Jovi & Jake Bongiovi

It's his life, but Jake Bongiovi bears a striking resemblance to his dad, Bon Jovi lead singer Jon Bon Jovi (with wife, Dorothea Bongiovi, and their youngest son Romeo Bongiovi at the Jefferson Awards Foundation's 2017 DC National Ceremony). Fortunately, he gives love a good name, married to Millie Bobby Brown since 2024. 

Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Katie Holmes & Suri Cruise

Pieces of Katie: As a tween, actress' Katie Holmes' daughter Suri Cruise (at a 2016 performance of Finding Neverland in NYC) was her undeniable twin. 

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

James Marsden & Jack Marsden

The jury is not out. Jack Marsden's resemblance to dad James Marsden was uncanny at the 2017 SAG Awards.

Dave Benett/Getty Images for Savannah Miller Bridal

Sienna Miller & Marlowe Sturridge

Marlowe—Alfie star Sienna Miller’s daughter with ex Tom Sturridge—joined her mom for a rare public outing in London in April 2025.

David Livingston/Getty Images

Kim Zolciak & Brielle Bierman

Double take! Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Kim Zolciak's daughter Brielle Bierman could pass for her younger sis. 

Anthony Harvey/Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo & Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo had the cutest plus-one in son Christiano Jr. at the London premiere of Ronaldo in 2015.

Bob Levey/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated

Christie Brinkley & Sailor Brinkley-Cook

Sailor Brinkley-Cook has followed mom Christie Brinkley right down the runway. 

Dave Benett/Getty Images

Kate Moss & Lila Moss

Also taking a walk in her mom's proverbial stilettos: Kate Moss' daughter Lila Moss. 

Instagram

Reese Witherspoon & Ava Phillippe

Whoever said Reese Witherspoon's daughter Ava Phillippe doesn't look like her twin is as seriously disturbed as whoever said orange was the new pink. 

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Lisa Bonet & Zoë Kravitz

Like mother, like daughter. Lisa Bonet and Zoë Kravitz attended the Vanity Fair Oscars party in 2015.

Instagram

Rumer Willis & Demi Moore

With their matching jumpsuits, sleek hair and glasses, Demi Moore and eldest daughter Rumer Willis looked like carbon copies. "That moment when you realize you actually are becoming your mother #twinning #imnotmad," Willis joked on Instagram in 2015.

Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Madonna & Lourdes Leon

Pictured here in 2010, pop icon Madonna's daughter Lourdes Leon is a fashionista just like her mama!

Karwai Tang/WireImage

David Beckham & Brooklyn Beckham

You'll get a kick out of how much soccer star David Beckham and his oldest son Brooklyn Beckham look alike.

Instagram

Kelly Ripa & Lola Consuelos

Kelly Ripa celebrated daughter Lola Consuelos' 14th birthday with this adorable 2015 pic. 

Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Uma Thurman & Maya Hawke

Once upon a time in Hollywood...Kill Bill actress Uma Thurman twinned with her daughter Maya Hawke on the red carpet.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for NARAS

Jay Z & Blue Ivy Carter

Years before Blue Ivy Carter made her way up the Met Gala steps alongside mom Beyoncé, she suited up alongside her lookalike dad Jay Z at the 2017 Grammys.

Ari Perilstein/Getty Images for Feld Entertainment

Alison Sweeney & Megan Sanov

Days of Our Lives star Alison Sweeney and her daughter Megan got in the holiday spirit at 2015's Disney On Ice Presents Frozen at the Staples Center. 

Getty Images

Lily-Rose Depp & Vanessa Paradis

In matching bobs, Lily-Rose Depp and mom Vanessa Paradis appeared cut from the same cloth at the 2015 Chanel fall-winter Haute Couture show in Paris.

Cindy Ord/Getty Images

Julianne Moore & Liv Freundlich

Caught red-handed: Oscar winner Julianne Moore twinning with then-tween Liv at a 2013 New York Fashion Week event.

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Robin Wright & Dylan Penn

The genetics are strong between Robin Wright and daughter Dylan Penn (in 2022), but the pull toward all-black garb is even stronger. 

Barry King/Getty Images

Lori Loughlin & Olivia Giannulli

Everywhere you look, everywhere you go, there's another photo proving how closely Olivia Jade resembles her mom, Fuller House star Lori Loughlin.

Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images; Rabbani and Solimene Photography/Getty Images

Daniel Day-Lewis & Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis

Lincoln star Daniel Day-Lewis' son Gabriel-Kane, whose mother is French actress Isabelle Adjani, made his big runway debut at 2015 Paris Fashion Week

Fred Duval/FilmMagic

Gillian Anderson & Piper Maru Klotz

The truth is, in fact, out there. Gillian Anderson stunned with daughter Piper on a 2015 red carpet. 

Andrew Toth/FilmMagic

Kaia Gerber & Cindy Crawford

"It used to be that I didn’t see it at all," Kaia Gerber acknowledged of her resemblance to mom Cindy Crawford , "but now I will look at a picture and have to take a moment before realizing which one of us it is." 

Fred Hayes/WireImage

Tom Hanks & Colin Hanks

Though Colin Hanks' 2008 photo alongside dad Tom Hanks had us doing a double-take, it's actually the actor's youngest son Truman Hanks who played a young version of the Oscar winner in 2022's A Man Called Otto. 

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App

Read Entire Article