Last updated on: January 14, 2023
Justin Verlander is an American baseball player. He currently plays for the New York Mets of the MLB as a pitcher.
Justin Verlander Biography
Early Life and School Life
Verlander was born in Manakin-Sabot, Virginia, and did well at baseball from a young age. He is the older brother of MLB Analyst Ben Verlander. His parents are Richard and Kathy Verlander. He started playing baseball with the Tuckahoe Little League in Richmond, Virginia, when he was young. His father noticed how good he was at a young age and put him in the Richmond Baseball Academy. Verlander did well in the academy and by the time he was young, he had a dangerous fastball.
He then played for Goochland High School before he went to Old Dominion University. During his time at Old Dominion, he set a number of records, such as the most strikeouts in a game and most strikeouts in a season. He pitched for three years in college, and when he graduated, he was the school’s all-time leader in strikeouts, with an average of 11.5 per nine innings.
Draft
At age 21, Justin Verlander was the second player picked by the Detroit Tigers in the 2004 MLB Draft. On October 25, 2004, he made a deal with the Tigers. The San Diego Padres had the first pick in the draught that year, but they didn’t choose Justin Verlander. Instead, they chose shortstop Matt Bush. Verlander was quickly signed by Bill Buck, a well-known scout for the Detroit Tigers at the time. He went on to play 13 seasons with the Tigers. Verlander worked his way up through the Tigers’ minor league system. On July 4, 2005, against the Cleveland Indians, he got his first chance to play in the major leagues.
MLB Career
Justin Verlander with Detroit Tigers (2005-2017)
In his first season, Justin Verlander went back and forth between the major league and the minor league. He only started two games. Both of those games were against the Cleveland Indians and the Minnesota Twins, and he lost both of them. His final ERA was 7.15.
After a rough first year, Verlander got into a good rhythm in 2006. With a 17-9 record in his first full season, the young pitcher made an immediate impact in Detroit. Over 30 starts, he had an impressive ERA of 3.63 and set a rookie record for right-handed pitchers with 124 strikeouts. Verlander played for the Tigers in 2006, when they went to the World Series but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in five games. He was chosen as the American League Rookie of the Year, the first of many awards he would get.
Verlander kept getting better and better until he had a great fastball and curveball. In 2007, he was 18-6, and on June 12, 2007, against the Milwaukee Brewers, he threw his first no-hitter. He was chosen for his first All-Star game that year. After a bad year in 2008, he came back in 2009 with much better stats. He finished the season with a great 3.45 ERA and a 19-9 record. During that season, he had the most wins (19) and the most strikeouts (269). In 2009, he was chosen for the All-Star game. After going 18-9 and having an earned run average of 3.37 in 2010, he was chosen to be an All-Star again.
The Tigers’ best pitcher had his best season in 2011 when he went 24-5 and had an ERA of 2.40. On May 7, against the Toronto Blue Jays, he had his second no-hitter of the season. During that season, he was the best pitcher in the American League, with the most wins, strikeouts, and earned run average (ERA). He also won both the Cy Young Award and the AL Most Valuable Player that season, which is known as one of the best seasons ever for a pitcher.
During the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Justin Verlander did well with the Tigers. He won 30 times during that time. In 2012, he got to the World Series again, but this time the San Francisco Giants beat him. From 2009 to 2013, he was chosen for five All-Star games in a row.
After getting hurt in 2014 and 2015, Verlander came back in 2016 stronger than ever. He finished second in the voting for the Cy Young Award with a 16-9 record that year.
Justin Verlander with Houston Astros (2017-2022)
The Houston Astros got Verlander in a trade in 2017. He would keep getting better, and in 2017 he would help the Astros win their first World Series. He was chosen as ALCS MVP for that season. In 2018, he went 16-9 with the Astros and set a number of personal records, such as 200 wins and 2500 strikeouts.
In 2019, Verlander pitched his third no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays. He had just signed a huge new deal with the Houston Astros. Even though the Washington Nationals beat the Astros in the World Series that year, he won his second Cy Young Award that year.
Injuries kept Verlander out of action again in 2020 and 2021, when he only pitched one game. He came back to the Astros in 2022 as their ace pitcher, and even though he is 39 years old, he still dominates other batters.
Justin Verlander with New York Mets (2023-Present)
Verlander signed a two-year, $86.7 million deal with the New York Mets on December 7, 2022. In 2025, the Mets have the option to pay him an extra $35 million. The average annual value of the contract is $43.3 million, which is the same as the average annual value of Max Scherzer‘s contract, which was signed during the offseason of 2021.
MLB Stats
|
Year
|
Team
|
GP
|
CG
|
ER
|
SO
|
W
|
L
|
Sv
|
WHIP
|
ERA
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2022
|
Astros
|
28
|
0
|
34
|
185
|
18
|
4
|
0
|
0.83
|
1.75
|
|
2020
|
Astros
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
7
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0.67
|
3.00
|
|
2019
|
Astros
|
34
|
2
|
64
|
300
|
21
|
6
|
0
|
0.80
|
2.58
|
|
2018
|
Astros
|
34
|
1
|
60
|
290
|
16
|
9
|
0
|
0.90
|
2.52
|
|
2017
|
Astros
|
5
|
0
|
4
|
43
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
0.65
|
1.06
|
|
2017
|
Tigers
|
28
|
0
|
73
|
176
|
10
|
8
|
0
|
1.28
|
3.82
|
|
2016
|
Tigers
|
34
|
2
|
77
|
254
|
16
|
9
|
0
|
1.00
|
3.04
|
|
2015
|
Tigers
|
20
|
1
|
50
|
113
|
5
|
8
|
0
|
1.09
|
3.38
|
|
2014
|
Tigers
|
32
|
0
|
104
|
159
|
15
|
12
|
0
|
1.40
|
4.54
|
|
2013
|
Tigers
|
34
|
0
|
84
|
217
|
13
|
12
|
0
|
1.31
|
3.46
|
|
2012
|
Tigers
|
33
|
6
|
70
|
239
|
17
|
8
|
0
|
1.06
|
2.64
|
|
2011
|
Tigers
|
34
|
4
|
67
|
250
|
24
|
5
|
0
|
0.92
|
2.40
|
|
2010
|
Tigers
|
33
|
4
|
84
|
219
|
18
|
9
|
0
|
1.16
|
3.37
|
|
2009
|
Tigers
|
35
|
3
|
92
|
269
|
19
|
9
|
0
|
1.18
|
3.45
|
|
2008
|
Tigers
|
33
|
1
|
108
|
163
|
11
|
17
|
0
|
1.40
|
4.84
|
|
2007
|
Tigers
|
32
|
1
|
82
|
183
|
18
|
6
|
0
|
1.23
|
3.66
|
|
2006
|
Tigers
|
30
|
1
|
75
|
124
|
17
|
9
|
0
|
1.33
|
3.63
|
|
2005
|
Tigers
|
2
|
0
|
9
|
7
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
1.76
|
7.15
|
|
Career
|
482
|
26
|
1,139
|
3,198
|
244
|
133
|
0
|
1.12
|
3.24
|
Personal Life
Early in 2014, Verlander started dating the model and actress Kate Upton, and in 2016, the two got engaged. During the leaks of celebrity photos from iCloud in 2014, many of Verlander’s personal photos were posted online. These included naked photos of him, Upton, and other women, as well as himself.
On November 4, 2017, they got married in a medieval church in Tuscany, Italy, with a view of the Montalcino valley. This was two days after he won the World Series with the Astros. On July 14, 2018, they told the world that Upton was expecting their first child. Later that year, they had a daughter.
Justin Verlander Charity Work
Verlander started the “Wins For Warriors Foundation” in 2016 to help veterans of the U.S. military. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, and the “Wins For Warriors Foundation” campaign raised $246,311 to help the city recover. Verlander has given more than $1 million to this cause so far. Verlander has also helped out with national efforts like the Red Cross and helped out with local charities in Detroit that help the poor.
In 2013, Verlander was one of the first people to receive the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award for his work with veterans.
Know Justin Verlander’s bio, career, debut, wife, daughter, age, height, awards, favorite things, body measurements, dating history, net worth, car collections, address, date of birth, school, residence, religion, father, mother, and much more.
Bio/Wiki
Full Name
Justin Brooks Verlander
Nickname
JV
Profession
Baseball Player
Career
MLB Debut
2005 – Detroit Tigers
Jersey Number
#35
Position
Pitcher
Current Team
Detroit Tigers
Awards
| AWARDS | YEARS |
| All-Star | 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018, 2019, and 2022 |
| AL MVP | 2011 |
| All –MLB First Team | 2019 |
| World Series Champion | 2017 |
| Triple Crown | 2011 |
| Cy Young | 2011, 2019 |
| MLB Wins Leader | 2009, 2011, and 2019 |
Personal life
Date of Birth
February 20, 1983
Age
40 years
Zodiac sign
Pisces
Signature
Nationality
American
Birth Place
Manakin, Virginia, United States of America
Residence
Virginia, United States of America
School / College / University
Old Dominion University
Goochland High School
Religion
Christianity
Race / Ethnicity
White
Food Habits
English, Scottish, Italian, and Swedish descent
Hobbies
Playing Baseball
Physical Stats & More
Height
- In feet – 6′ 5″
- In Centimeters – 196 cm
- In meters – 1.96 m
Weight
- In kilograms – 102 kg
- In Pounds – 225 lbs
Body Measurements
- Chest Size: 43″
- Biceps Size: 16.5″
- Waist Size: 34″
Shoe size
14 (US)
Eye color
Brown
Hair Color
Dark Brown
Family
Wife
Kate Upton (2017-Present)
Father
Richard Verlander
Mother
Kathy Verlander
Siblings
Ben Verlander (Brother)
Children
Genevieve Upton Verlander (Daughter) (Born on November 7, 2018)
Relationship & More
Marital Status
Married to Kate Upton
Marriage Date
November 4, 2017
Affairs or dating history
Kate Upton (2013-Present)
Favorite Things
Favorite Memories – Playing against his Brother and winning over him
Favorite Technology – iPad
Money Factor
Net Worth (2023)
$270 million
Source of Income – Playing Baseball
Justin Verlander Salary
| YEAR | TEAM | AWARDS | SALARY | SIGNING BONUS | INCENTIVE | TOTAL CASH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Detroit Tigers | $316,000 | $3,150,000 | – | $3,466,000 | |
| 2006 | Detroit Tigers | AL ROY | $350,000 | – | – | $350,000 |
| 2007 | Detroit Tigers | $400,000 | – | – | $400,000 | |
| 2008 | Detroit Tigers | $500,000 | – | – | $500,000 | |
| 2009 | Detroit Tigers | $3,975,000 | – | – | $3,975,000 | |
| 2010 | Detroit Tigers | $6,750,000 | $500,000 | – | $7,250,000 | |
| 2011 | Detroit Tigers | AL MVP, AL CY YOUNG |
$12,750,000 | – | $500,000 | $13,250,000 |
| 2012 | Detroit Tigers | $20,000,000 | – | – | $20,000,000 | |
| 2013 | Detroit Tigers | $20,000,000 | – | – | $20,000,000 | |
| 2014 | Detroit Tigers | $20,000,000 | – | – | $20,000,000 | |
| 2015 | Detroit Tigers | $28,000,000 | – | – | $28,000,000 | |
| 2016 | Detroit Tigers | $28,000,000 | – | – | $28,000,000 | |
| 2017 | Houston Astros | $4,743,169 | – | – | $4,743,169 | |
| 2017 | Detroit Tigers | $23,256,831 | – | – | $23,256,831 | |
| 2018 | Houston Astros | $20,000,000 | – | $100,000 | $20,100,000 | |
| 2018 | Detroit Tigers | $8,000,000 | – | – | $8,000,000 | |
| 2019 | Detroit Tigers | AL CY YOUNG, ALL MLB (1ST) |
$8,000,000 | – | – | $8,000,000 |
| 2019 | Houston Astros | AL CY YOUNG, ALL MLB (1ST) |
$20,000,000 | – | $75,000 | $20,075,000 |
| 2020 | Houston Astros | $12,222,222 | – | – | $12,222,222 | |
| 2021 | Houston Astros | $33,000,000 | – | – | $33,000,000 | |
| 2022 | Houston Astros | AL CY YOUNG, ALL MLB (1ST) |
$25,000,000 | – | – | $25,000,000 |
| Est. Earnings (18 seasons) |
$295,263,222 | $3,650,000 | $675,000 | $299,588,222 | ||
Car collection
It will be updated soon.
House
It will be updated soon.
Justin Verlander Facts and Unknown things
| Birthplace | Manakin Sabot, Virginia, United States |
|---|---|
| Birth Date | February 20, 1983 |
| College | Old Dominion University (Norfolk, VA) |
| Height/Weight | 6 ft 5 inches, 225 lb (196 cm, 102 kg) |
| Batting Hand | right |
| Throwing Hand | right |
| Debut Date | July 4, 2005 |
| Draft | Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the first round (second) of the June 2004 MLB draft. |
| Team | New York Mets |
| Jersey Number | 35 (2017-2019, Houston Astros) • 35 (2006-2017, Detroit Tigers) • 59 (2005-2005, Detroit Tigers) |
| Position | pitcher |
| Twitter Handle | @JustinVerlander |
1. Justin Verlander has never had a real job, but he did work at a baseball camp for kids.
2. Kit Kats and Oreos with milk are his favorite snacks. Justin loves sweets so much.
3. On their date nights, Justin and his wife Kate Upton like to go out to dinner and a movie.
4. Since there are three outs, Justin Verlander does everything in threes before a game. For example, if he has to go to the bathroom at the field, he brings three paper towels.
5. Traveling and being away from his wife and dog Harley is the hardest part of being a baseball player.
6. Verlander didn’t drink at all in high school, but now that he’s in college, he has a good time.
7. Justin put some light pomade in his hair and then sprayed it with hair spray.
8. My bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches are the best thing he makes. He always eats this.
9. When Justin won Rookie of the Year in 2006, he got a Rolex with his name on it. This was the best gift he’s ever gotten. Winning the 2005 World Series ring was also a lot of fun.
10. He can dance pretty well. Verlander has lost touch with the new dances that kids do, but I can still hold my own in the middle of a dance floor.
11. Frank Thomas made Justin Verlander wear number 35. In his first year, he got him out with his fastest pitch ever, which was 103 mph. Very roundabout moment.
12. Saved by the Bell was Justin’s favorite show when he was a kid. He likes Jessie so much.
13. Kate was his favorite celebrity to meet. They met for the first time on a commercial set, where he didn’t know his microphone was on. Justin told his friends that he was going to get her number, and she heard him. It worked, though.
14. Their boxer, Harley, is the cutest when he cuddles up to them. He likes to be held.
15. Justin watched everything all at once. The 100 was the last show he watched.
He used to collect baseball cards when he was a kid.
17. When Kate and Justin went to Slovenia, someone knew him instead of Kate Upton, which was his strangest fan encounter.
18. His dream is to win against every other team.
19. If Justin didn’t play baseball, he would be on TV talking about sports.
20. When Justin Verlander got his first car, it was a purple Ford Taurus called “The Purple Mongoose.”
21. He has a bit of OCD. Everything had to be just right for him.
22. Verlander loves sports cars. He wants to own a Ferrari. They are great.
23. No one knows that he has been taking Flonase for years, but he has.
24. In high school, he was called “Skippy” because he didn’t play baseball on the JV team.
25. Kate tries to put face masks on him because she wants Justin to look good when he’s old.
Find on Web
Website
None.
