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That time Justin Verlander and Kate Upton visited the Capitol and Uncle Fred

Before he was a World Series foe, he was a tourist

From left, Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., his niece, model Kate Upton, and her then-fiance Justin Verlander, a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers at the time, pose for a picture on the House steps on May 10, 2016. Verlander was in town for a series between the Tigers and the Washington Nationals. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
From left, Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., his niece, model Kate Upton, and her then-fiance Justin Verlander, a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers at the time, pose for a picture on the House steps on May 10, 2016. Verlander was in town for a series between the Tigers and the Washington Nationals. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)
By Jason Dick
Posted October 23, 2019 at 2:42pm

Washington Nationals fans will root for their team tonight as it takes on the Houston Astros and one of their ace pitchers, Justin Verlander, in Game 2 of the World Series. Was it really three-plus years ago that Verlander, then hurling for the Detroit Tigers, visited the Capitol with his then-fiancee, supermodel Kate Upton, for a tour with Uncle Fred, R-Mich.? (That being Rep. Fred Upton.)

Indeed. And how quickly things change. Not only did Verlander and Kate Upton marry and Verlander add a World Series ring in 2017 after being traded to the Houston Astros that year, but Verlander was teammates back then with, who else? Nationals ace Max Scherzer. 

Scherzer got the win in Tuesday night’s Game 1 in Houston, putting a wee bit of pressure on Verlander as he takes the mound against another Nationals ace, Stephen Strasburg, on Wednesday in Houston. 

UNITED STATES - MAY 24: Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer talks with Sen. John McCain, R_Ariz., left, in the Capitol after lunch with Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Scherzer's wife Erica May-Scherzer, May 24, 2016. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, center, talks with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, in the Capitol after lunch with Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., right, and Scherzer’s wife, Erica May-Scherzer, on May 24, 2016. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

Scherzer, meanwhile, signed with the Nats in 2015 and did a little Capitol touring shortly afterward with his wife, Erica May-Scherzer, and Arizona’s Republican Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake. Scherzer knew the senators from his days as an Arizona Diamondback. 

When this whole World Series thing is over, we at HoH are all too willing to give tours for any Nats, Astros or anyone else who wants! 

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