Verlander was coming off a 5.48 ERA, injury-shortened season with the Astros. Would sentimentality really have been enough for the Tigers to bring him back despite a clear decline? Cobb has not pitched (and will never pitch) in a Tigers uniform. Despite a rocky first four months with the Giants, Verlander has a 0.36 ERA in his last four starts. There was an emotional argument to bring Verlander back last offseason, but that's sort of where it ended.