Justin Verlander Gets Called Out by Reporter for Kate Upton Mix-Up During Hot Mic Moment

Mar. 15, 2025

Justin Verlander speaks with reporters during a Zoom meeting on January 13, 2025.Photo:MLB Network/X

MLB Network/X

Always check to make sure you’re muted.One reporter forgot that golden rule of video conferencing during a virtualmedia availabilitywithJustin Verlanderon Monday, Jan. 13. The reporter noticed that the 41-year-old right-hander appeared to be logged into the Zoom account of his wife, modelKate Upton, and loudly pointed that out to everyone on the call.The Giants' president of baseball operations Buster Posey was on the call too, and just as Posey, 37, was answering a question, the voice of the journalist interrupted the call.“Look at Justin’s name,” the reporter could be heard saying, unaware that he was interrupting Posey in front of the group of other journalists.The reporter didn’t speak again once he realized the mistake and the Giants' vice president of media relations Matt Chisholm continued the meeting, reminding the group to mute themselves when they weren’t asking Posey and Verlander a question.Justin Verlander on a Zoom call via MLB Network.MLB Network/XVerlander found the reporter’s hot mic moment amusing and quipped, “I’ll change it, alright? I’ll change it.“The newly-signed Giants star continued poking fun at the mixup when he changed the name on the Zoom account to “JUSTIN VERLANDER (not Kate).“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Upton and Verlander first met in 2012 during a commercial shoot. After a few years of dating, Verlander proposed to Upton in 2016 and the couple tied the knot on Nov. 4, 2017 — just days after the baseball pro won theWorld Series.The couple share a daughter,Genevieve, who was born in 2018.Kate Upton and Justin Verlander attend the 2023 Footwear News Achievement Awards at Cipriani South Street on November 29, 2023 in New York City.Jamie McCarthy/Footwear News/GettyThe unknowing reporter, Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports, was able to quickly laugh off the all-too-relatable blunder after the clip made the rounds on social media.Wirthrepostedthe clip on X and added a clever meme in response to his viral moment.The innocent mistake even inspired others to share their unmuted mixups on Zoom with Wirth. “Happens to the best of us,” one user wrote to the reporter. “In a previous job I said ‘I love you’ jokingly at the end of a zoom meeting and thought I was muted. 400+ people at my company heard it.““Can’t get more wholesome than that,” Wirth replied.On Jan. 11, the Giantsannouncedthat Verlander signed a one-year contract worth $15 million after joining the Houston Astros in 2017.

Always check to make sure you’re muted.

One reporter forgot that golden rule of video conferencing during a virtualmedia availabilitywithJustin Verlanderon Monday, Jan. 13. The reporter noticed that the 41-year-old right-hander appeared to be logged into the Zoom account of his wife, modelKate Upton, and loudly pointed that out to everyone on the call.

The Giants' president of baseball operations Buster Posey was on the call too, and just as Posey, 37, was answering a question, the voice of the journalist interrupted the call.

“Look at Justin’s name,” the reporter could be heard saying, unaware that he was interrupting Posey in front of the group of other journalists.

The reporter didn’t speak again once he realized the mistake and the Giants' vice president of media relations Matt Chisholm continued the meeting, reminding the group to mute themselves when they weren’t asking Posey and Verlander a question.

Justin Verlander on a Zoom call via MLB Network.MLB Network/X

Verlander found the reporter’s hot mic moment amusing and quipped, “I’ll change it, alright? I’ll change it.”

The newly-signed Giants star continued poking fun at the mixup when he changed the name on the Zoom account to “JUSTIN VERLANDER (not Kate).”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Upton and Verlander first met in 2012 during a commercial shoot. After a few years of dating, Verlander proposed to Upton in 2016 and the couple tied the knot on Nov. 4, 2017 — just days after the baseball pro won theWorld Series.

The couple share a daughter,Genevieve, who was born in 2018.

Kate Upton and Justin Verlander attend the 2023 Footwear News Achievement Awards at Cipriani South Street on November 29, 2023 in New York City.Jamie McCarthy/Footwear News/Getty

Jamie McCarthy/Footwear News/Getty

The unknowing reporter, Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports, was able to quickly laugh off the all-too-relatable blunder after the clip made the rounds on social media.

Wirthrepostedthe clip on X and added a clever meme in response to his viral moment.

The innocent mistake even inspired others to share their unmuted mixups on Zoom with Wirth. “Happens to the best of us,” one user wrote to the reporter. “In a previous job I said ‘I love you’ jokingly at the end of a zoom meeting and thought I was muted. 400+ people at my company heard it.”

“Can’t get more wholesome than that,” Wirth replied.

On Jan. 11, the Giantsannouncedthat Verlander signed a one-year contract worth $15 million after joining the Houston Astros in 2017.

source: people.com