That might be true if he gets another Astros ring this year. Despite his being out in 2020 and 21, he will be considered to have been there for all seven playoff runs, plus five pennants and three rings, versus five playoff runs, two pennants, zero rings in Detroit. Add to that two Cy Youngs there versus one here, a .756 WPCT vs .616, a 2.36 ERA vs 3.49, 179 ERA+ vs. 123, 11.1/1.6 K/BB ratio vs 8.5/2.7, and the narrative might end up being that the Astros fixed what the Tigers couldn’t fix or even broke, and how good would he have been with a great team his whole career.
It’s also possible that they split the difference and he goes in with a blank hat, like Greg Maddux, although the CHC/ATL innings split for Maddux is a lot closer than for Verlander. Either way, if he wins a third ring in Houston, I think I’d be surprised if he went in with a Tiger hat despite most of his best successes coming in Houston.
And this is predicated on if he were to retire right now. If he pitches until he’s 45 and stays in Houston the whole time, that might tip it even more.