MLB star Justin Verlander is shutting down reports that he acted unkindly toward teammates and staff during his brief time playing for the New York Mets.
“I want to say that I have nothing but respect for the Mets organization and I enjoyed connecting with all of my teammates this season … new and old!! It truly was a wonderful group of people,” Verlander, 40, began a statement shared via X (formerly known as Twitter).
He continued: “That being said, we all know the success of a team is made up of more than just the players on the field, everyone’s input is valuable. I’m sorry to hear that a staff member took offense to constructive criticism on how we could improve.”
Verlander concluded his post by stating he wished “nothing but the best to the Mets moving forward.”
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The Houston Astros pitcher’s comments came days after a New York Post article accused Verlander of having strained relationships with his Mets teammates. The report also alleged that he criticized the team’s analytics department, calling it inferior to that of the Astros’.
Former Mets player Max Scherzer also called Verlander a “diva” in the article, alleging his actions lead to them not getting along.
Verlander played for the Detroit Tigers and Astros before signing a two-year contract with the Mets in December 2022. Four months after making his debut on the New York team, he was traded back to the Astros.
“I don’t think anybody saw this coming,” Verlander said during a trade deadline earlier this month, according to ESPN. “You commit to a team and you commit to trying to win a championship there and that’s your vision. You’re all-in and then a few months later you’re back with the team you were with the last season.”
Before joining the Mets, Verlander helped the Astros secure their second-ever World Series championship against the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022. “It’s all an incredible experience,” Verlander’s wife, model Kate Upton, told Fox Sports after the big game. “Having Justin home and being able to be together as a family is so amazing and then to go to the exact extreme and be here at the World Series and then win is just so exciting and so worth it. We miss him every time he goes away.”
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She continued: “Just to see him do what he loves, just to see him do his craft, he’s such an artist out there. When he’s pitching, it’s really so creative, such an art and we are so honored.”
The couple tied the knot in November 2017 and welcomed their daughter, Genevieve, now 4, one year later. “She’s been the most amazing woman and mom,” Verlander exclusively told Us Weekly in March 2019 of Upton’s parenting skills. “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.”
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