MLB Rumors: Francisco Liriano on the Move Soon? Braves and Yankees Looking

By Michael Collins

It would seem that the Minnesota Twins are going to be conceding the season, and will quickly become sellers.  One of the main commodities they will offer will be left-handed starting pitcher Francisco Liriano.

A number of teams have inquired about Liriano, and the smart money is on Twins GM Terry Ryan making a deal before his early season struggles return.

To date, there are no reports of Minnesota offering Liriano a contract extension, which may point to the Twins looking to unload him before the trade deadline.

The Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and Atlanta Braves have all scouted Liriano, with none of those teams clearly having the upper hand or making any formal offers.

The problem with moving Liriano is that right now, he’s looked at as a risky acquisition because of his performance so far this season.

Liriano has a 3-9 record, and is carrying a 4.81 ERA and 1.40 WHIP.  However, he has gotten hot as of late, going 3-4 in his last 10 starts, with a 2.84 ERA in 63.1 innings. He’s struck out 77 batters and given up only 20 earned runs over that span.

He has had only three winning seasons since joining the Twins in 2005 , and his best season was in 2006 when he was 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA.

Some of Liriano’s poor statistics can be attributed to playing with some poor teams, but for teams such as the Braves who are looking for a starter to step in to a big role right away, he may not be the best option.

There is also a possibility that the San Francisco Giants could be interested in Liriano as an insurance policy in case Tim Lincecum doesn’t return to form.

Liriano earned $5.5 million on a one-year deal, and is reportedly looking for at least a three-year contract. He has signed one-year deals in each of the past three offseasons.

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