Justin Verlander announces retirement, will be forced to spend time with supermodel wife

There is nothing left in Major League Baseball for Justin Verlander to conquer. Thus, the 43-year-old is prepared to leave the game behind.

Verlander announced Wednesday he'd close the books on a surefire Hall of Fame career after 22 years in the big leagues. Over that span, he's won an AL MVP award, three Cy Youngs (along with three runner-up finishes), rookie of the year honors, two World Series titles and a pitching triple crown.

He returned to the Detroit Tigers -- the squad with which he broke into the major leagues and spent his first 12.5 seasons -- in 2026, but has struggled on the mound. His sole start lasted only 3.2 innings and resulted in five earned runs before landing on the 60-day injured list with a hip injury.

While he's not playing at an All-Star level, his resume led him to be the American League's Legacy Pick at next week's All-Star game in Philadelphia. On Wednesday, he announced it would be the potential capstone to a legendary career.

pic.twitter.com/7mBzftMH4V

— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) July 8, 2026

Verlander will retire at the end of this season, riding off into the sunset before being inducted to Cooperstown five years later. He'll have the chance to spend his summers with wife Kate Upton or potentially follow the Alex Rodriguez/David Ortiz path into the broadcast booth next spring. Either way, he's on to the next stage in his life and we're left to reflect on one of the most dominant pitchers of the last two decades.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Justin Verlander announces retirement, will be forced to spend time with supermodel wife