When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the MLB took a major hit. Spring training was suspended, and regular-season games were continually postponed for months as cases of the virus continued to increase. In April 2020, Verlander and Upton announced on Instagram that they would be donating his weekly MLB checks to various organizations working diligently to help others during the pandemic. "Everyone around the world is affected by this virus, and we hope to contribute to the families and jobs affected, the healthcare workers and first responders on the front lines and the many others in need of basic necessities, medical supplies and support at home," he wrote in the post.
