Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 14

Justin Verlander, 43, Makes Final MLB All-Star Red Carpet Appearance Before 22nd-Season Retirement

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jul 14

Justin Verlander, 43, Makes Final MLB All-Star Red Carpet Appearance Before 22nd-Season Retirement

Q: After 22 seasons, will Justin Verlander's Hall of Fame plaque feature a Tigers or an Astros cap?

Justin Verlander’s Hall of Fame plaque is more likely to feature an Astros cap, though the case is close enough that Detroit remains a legitimate possibility. The Tigers have the stronger longevity argument. Verlander debuted in Detroit, spent the largest share of his career there, won the 2006 AL Rookie of the Year and the 2011 AL MVP, captured Cy Young Awards as a Tiger, threw two no-hitters there, reached 3,000 strikeouts in Detroit, and became the face of the franchise during its return to contention. Houston, however, has the stronger legacy argument. Verlander won two World Series titles with the Astros, earned the 2017 ALCS MVP, threw another no-hitter there, and authored one of the sport’s great late-career second acts. His 2019 and 2022 Cy Young-caliber seasons in Houston, especially the 2022 comeback from Tommy John surgery, are central to how this era of his career will be remembered. Hall of Fame cap decisions are not based only on years played or raw totals. The Hall weighs where a player’s most iconic achievements and historical identity were formed. Precedent shows championships and defining moments can outweigh tenure. So if the choice is forced today, Houston appears to have the edge because Verlander’s most resonant postseason success and two championships came there. But it is not settled, and a Tigers cap would still be defensible given his longer service and foundational accomplishments in Detroit.

Q: Will the new Home Run Derby tiebreaker make the MLB All-Star Game more exciting or just a gimmick?

It looks more like a genuine improvement than a gimmick. MLB’s Home Run Derby-style All-Star tiebreaker solves a real problem: the game is no longer built for extra innings, because pitchers are typically scheduled for only one inning and managers want to use as many All-Stars as possible. The swing-off guarantees a winner without repeating the kind of unsatisfying finish seen in 2002, when the game ended in a tie. There is also evidence it adds real drama. The format debuted successfully in 2025, when the National League beat the American League after a 6-6 tie, with Kyle Schwarber hitting three home runs in three swings and winning MVP. Players have spoken positively about it. Schwarber called it “a lot of fun,” pointing to the crowd energy and dugout reaction, while Hunter Goodman described it as “a really entertaining way” to end the game. That said, it is undeniably theatrical. A swing-off is not traditional baseball, and purists can fairly argue that a skills contest deciding an exhibition game feels artificial. But the All-Star Game is already a showcase event, not a regular-season contest, and the tiebreaker fits that purpose better than stretched extra innings with depleted pitching staffs. So the best reading is that it is both a spectacle and a practical fix — but not “just” a gimmick. If it keeps producing decisive, memorable finishes, it is likely to be seen as one of MLB’s smarter All-Star changes.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 14

Philadelphia hosted what is likely Justin Verlander and Kate Upton’s final MLB All-Star red carpet walk, with Verlander attending as the game’s "Legend Pick."
Verlander, 43, said on social media he will retire after this season—his 22nd in the majors—and dismissed comeback talk on the carpet, saying there is not much that could change his mind.
Health remains the immediate focus: Verlander said he still cannot get healthy enough to pitch at the All-Star break and is trying to return in the second half.
The appearance framed a handoff to baseball’s younger stars, with players such as Paul Skenes, Brandon Marsh and Corbin Carroll also featured on the Philadelphia red carpet.