Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, 35, got more than he bargained for when he received his guest check on Friday, from one of Los Angeles’ finest establishments.
His already pricey lunch at the Bevery Hills Hotel came with an extra charge he wasn’t expecting, listed under ‘Dodger killer’ and carrying a $1,000,000 price tag.
The joke was a reference to his 2017 World Series win over Los Angeles in Dodger Stadium, taking the title home to Texas after a 5-1 win in the seventh game of the series.
‘#BeverlyHillsHotel really making me pay for that World Series win [two crying lauging emojis],’ Verlander wrote on Instagram, along with a photo of the ticket. ‘Thanks for the great lunch as always!’
Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, 35, got punked with a fake $1 million fee from the staff at the Beverly Hills Hotel for beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2017 World Series; Verlander is seen here blowing a bubble after being relieved in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics on August 19 in Oakland, California
The MLB veteran had a good sense of humor about the joke, sharing it on social media
Verlander played an integral role in beating the Dodgers last year, despite spending the entirety of Game 7 off of the field.
‘I’ve never finished a game in the bullpen,’ Verlander told MLB.com at the time, laughing.
He’d also never finished a play-offs run with a World Series title.
But thanks to an August 2017 waiver trade, Verlander finally found himself on the winning team, after 13 years in the league, with the Detroit Tigers.
And on November 1, when the final out landed in the glove of Yuli Gurriel, the Astros franchises got its first World Series win, too.
Verlander played an integral role in beating the Dodgers last year, taking a selfie with wife Kate Hupton after the Astros clinched the championship in Game 7 on November 1 in Los Angeles
Verlander described the moment he realized that his team had achieved the ultimate goal.
‘I just started running to get to the dogpile as quick as I could. It was a pretty cool moment,’ he said.
‘I remember running and looking to my left and right and seeing my teammates, and how excited everyone was, and we’re full sprint. That’s probably the moment that will stick in my head the most.’
This time, Kate Upton’s husband was back in La La land for a weekend series against the Los Angeles Angels.
So far, the Astros have won two of the three scheduled games, winning 9-3 on Friday and 8-3 on Saturday.
Kate Upton’s husband was back in La La land for a weekend series against the Los Angeles Angels; He rested on Friday and pitched six innings on Saturday, allowing six hits, three earned runs, and two walks, while forcing six strikeouts
During Game 6 against the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series (shown here, which was the last game he pitched during of the series), Verlander allowed only three hits and two earned runs, giving up no walks and clinching nine strikeouts, over six innings
Verlander rested on Friday, and pitched six innings in Saturday’s game. He allowed six hits, three earned runs, and two walks, while forcing six strikeouts.
During Game 6 against the Dodgers in the 2017 World Series (which was the last game he pitched during of the series), Verlander allowed only three hits and two earned runs, giving up no walks and clinching nine strikeouts, over six innings.
The fake million-dollar fee from the luxury hotel would have been a hefty price to pay for anyone to pay for beating the home team, but if he had to, Verlander could have swung it.
His 2018 salary is $28 million, and he’s earning another $1 million in endorsements, according to Forbes.
Those figures combine to make him the sixth-highest paid Major League Baseball player, this year.
Rumor has it that he also has a heart of gold, reportedly pledging to donate his 2017 playoff fees earned, totaling about $439,000, plus an additional $100,000 to Hurricane Harvey victims.
The fake million-dollar fee from the luxurious Bevery Hills Hotel (shown) would have been a hefty price to pay for anyone to pay for beating the home team, but if he had to, Verlander could have swung it, as he’s currently the sixth-highest paid player in the league