WEDDING TRUMPS BASEBALL
Verlander skips Astros World Series victory parade for wedding with Kate, but that's okay with teammates
Clifford Pugh
Nov 3, 2017, 9:00 pm
On Friday night, Kate Upton posted this photo on Instagram and congratulated the Astros. Instagram/@KateUpton
At the giant Astros World Series victory parade, Justin Verlander was gone but not forgotten.
The Astros pitcher, who was acquired from the Detroit Tigers just seconds before the trading deadline in late August and was instrumental in Houston's march through the payoffs, was the only team member not at the parade through downtown Houston and rally at Houston City Hall afterwards. He was apparently on his way to Italy to marry his fiancé, model Kate Upton.
But at the rally, his fellow Astros pitcher, Dallas Keuchel, thought up a wedding gift to send to the couple.
"There's one member of our team not with us today; he hasn't really done much," Keuchel said jokingly. "I want to give a little shout-out and let you guys know what Justin Verlander means to this team."
Keuchel then filmed the massive crowd as they cheered long and loudly.
Some Astros fans called Verlander out on Twitter for being a no-show, but the prevailing sentiment is that wedding plans were made long before he joined the Astros. The couple announced their engagement at the Met Gala last year, where she flashed a $1 million engagement ring, and numerous reports have hinted at wedding in Italy this weekend.
Upton and Verlander have been secretive about details, but the bride is expected to wear two Valentino gowns. "She wants to feel like a princess and the wedding will be very glamorous," an insider told E! News.
In May, Upton told Entertainment Tonight that her sisters will be co-maids of honor, there will be lots of tequila, she may wear more than one gown, and whatever she wears will have a "little flair of sexuality."
"I like it all, so maybe (I'll have) multiple dresses," she said. "Maybe a nice long sleeve, and then also the big tulle one."
"(We're) planning towards a destination wedding," she continued. "We don't really get the opportunity to go on a lot of vacations together because of how long baseball season is, and how busy we both are, so I think that what we want for our wedding (is to) have all of our closest friends and families go on an extended vacation together."
And, she added, about her future husband, "I hope he cries during the wedding day. I think it's going to come."
Late last month, Upton posted a photo from New York on Instagram with four female friends, hinting that it was a bachelorette party.
On Friday night, Upton posted a photo on Instagram praising the Astros for winning the World Series. But she didn't say where she was.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
The Houston Texans are entering the 2025 NFL Draft with a roster on the rise and a franchise quarterback in C.J. Stroud—but what happens next is anything but certain.
Draft experts are calling this year’s class one of the most difficult to project, especially in the back half of the first round, where opinions on prospects vary widely. For the Texans, who hold the No. 25 overall pick, this presents both opportunity and risk. With no glaring positional holes but several areas in need of long-term upgrades, Houston’s approach will provide insight into how the front office views its roster—and, more specifically, how it plans to protect its most valuable asset: Stroud.
Stroud was sacked 52 times last season, second only to Chicago's Caleb Williams. That reality underscores the Texans’ top priority heading into the draft: fortifying the offensive line. How they do that could reveal what they truly think of tackle Blake Fisher and whether Tytus Howard’s future lies at guard or tackle.
A number of linemen are on the Texans’ radar for their first-round pick, including Alabama interior mauler Tyler Booker, versatile North Dakota State tackle Gray Zabel, and Oregon’s athletic pass protector Josh Conerly. Texas standout Kelvin Banks and Ohio State’s Donovan Jackson also bring physicality and pedigree, while Josh Simmons of Ohio State is a long-term project coming off a torn patellar tendon.
Still, wide receiver is the other major position of interest. If Houston opts to go wideout in the first round, names like Arizona’s Tet McMillan, Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka, Missouri’s Luther Burden, and Texas' Matthew Golden offer a blend of polish, upside, and explosiveness.
A best-case scenario? The Texans land an offensive lineman in the first round and then leverage their extra third-round pick to trade up for a sliding receiver like Burden early in the second. That would give Houston immediate trench help and another weapon for Stroud without having to choose between the two priorities.
No matter what direction the Texans go, this year’s draft is set to be the most unpredictable of the Stroud era. And that might be just how Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans like it.
We have so much more to cover. Don't miss the video below as the crew from Texans on Tap discusses all the topics above and much more!
And be sure to watch our live reaction to the Texans' first round pick this Thursday night on our SportsMap Texans YouTube channel!
*ChatGPT assisted.
___________________________
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!