*Photo from Pucketts Pond*
The pitcher affectionately known as Liri during the 14 years he spent in baseball is hanging up the cleats. LHP Francisco Liriano is retiring from baseball after a 14 year major league career, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. Liriano has confirmed the news.
When he first stepped foot in the big leagues, he had the look and feel of a potential game changing superstar on the mound, and a sign of many years to come at the top of the rotation for the Minnesota Twins. While he didn't quite realize that star studded potential, he had plenty of good seasons in his career, and is now hanging them up.
In a statement given to Murray, Liriano said that "I have spent some time recently reflecting on my career and thinking about my future. After many discussions with my family, friends, and others who care about me, I have decided to retire from professional baseball after a 20-year career. I want to thank all the coaches and fans in both the U.S. and the Dominican Republic who have supported me on my baseball journey."
Liriano's first full big league season came in 2006, where he was a part of one of the best Twins teams in recent memory. They finished 96-66 in the regular season, winning the AL Central, before they left the playoffs after a shocking sweep by the Oakland Athletics in the ALDS. That season, Liriano had a 12-3 record with a 2.86 ERA, starting 16 games and coming out of the bullpen in 12 of them.
His last season in the big leagues came in 2019, when he suited up for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Liriano finished that season with a 5-3 record, with a 3.47 ERA and 1.35 WHIP, tossing 70 innings and punching out 63 hitters, appearing in 69 games out of the bullpen for the Pirates that year.
Liriano ends his 14 seasons in the majors with a career 112-114 record, to go with a 4.15 ERA and 1.35 WHIP, throwing 1,813 2/3 innings, starting 300 games and making 119 relief appearances, suiting up for 6 different teams. In 5 years of playoff baseball, Liriano has a 2-1 record with a 3.96 ERA, starting 3 games and making 8 relief appearances.
The one and only world series ring Liriano has in his career is with the infamous 2017 Houston Astros, where he made appearances in both game 6 and game 7 of that world series. That season led Liriano to the Detroit Tigers in 2018, before landing in Pittsburgh for his second stint in 2019.
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