Verlander grew up idolizing Ryan, who has seven. He knows Feller's legacy from his work with veterans. Sandy Koufax did it, too. So did Cy Young, Larry Corcoran has three, too, if one counts the 1880s.
Verlander was running down the names when his eyes peeled off. Off in the distance, he could see the replay of his last no-hit bid in the ninth inning, at Comerica Park against the Pirates on May 18, 2012.
"There's the base hit against me," Verlander said as he watched Josh Harrison's swing. "Slider over the plate."
He'll likely remember Wednesday night much the same, the 97-mph fastball to Chris Iannetta, the line drive hitting the chalk on the left-field line, the groan from the crowd of 31,938.