Even in 2025, the mute button still seems like a difficult feature for some people to navigate.
Justin Verlander spoke to the media in San Francisco for the first time on Monday.
Right-hander and president of baseball operations Buster Posey, who was signed by the Giants in free agency, was speaking with reporters via Zoom when one member of the media forgot to mute his microphone and Verlander appeared to be using Zoom. I started commenting on that fact. His wife Kate Upton's account.
While Posny was answering a question, a reporter could clearly be heard saying, “Look at Justin's name.”
Giants vice president of media relations Matt Chisholm quickly interjected, asking media members on the call to be silent and appearing to briefly laugh at the situation.
Verlander also had a sense of humor about the situation.
“I'll change that,” Verlander said with a laugh. “It's okay. I'll change it.”
And changed it, he did.
In a subsequent media call, Verlander apparently changed his name on Zoom to “Justin Verlander” (not Kate).
The reporter who made the Zoom gaffe has been identified as Taylor Worth of NBC Sports Bay Area & California.
He poked fun at himself in X's post.
Verlander signed a one-year contract with the Giants last week and has two World Series rings, five Cy Young Awards, nine All-Star nominations and one AL MVP award.
The major leaguer married Upton, a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, in 2017 and they have a daughter, Genevieve.
Verlander, who turns 42 next month, is entering his 20th MLB season and told reporters Monday that part of his goals for 2025 is “to prove that I still have it.” he said.
“I've accomplished enough in my career. If I didn't think I could be great, I wouldn't have come back,” he said.
