Francisco Liriano

Francisco Liriano
Liriano with the Chicago White Sox
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 45
Starting pitcher
Born: (1983-10-26) October 26, 1983 (age 33) San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic
Bats: Left Throws: Left
MLB debut
September 5, 2005, for the Minnesota Twins
MLB statistics (through 2016 season)
Win–loss record	96–92
Earned run average	4.05
Strikeouts	1,557
WHIP	1.33
Teams
Minnesota Twins (2005–2006, 2008–2012) Chicago White Sox (2012) Pittsburgh Pirates (2013–2016) Toronto Blue Jays (2016–present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (2006) 2× Comeback Player of the Year (2010, AL; 2013, NL) Pitched a no-hitter on May 3, 2011 against the Chicago White Sox.

Francisco Liriano Casillas (born October 26, 1983) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He is a left-handed starting pitcher and has also pitched in MLB for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Liriano is a MLB All-Star, and two-time winner of the MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Liriano signed with the San Francisco Giants as an international free agent in 2000. He was traded to the Minnesota Twins along with pitchers Joe Nathan and Boof Bonser in exchange for catcher A. J. Pierzynski.

Often compared to former teammate Johan Santana, another hard-throwing lefty, Liriano was touted as one of the "super-prospects" within the Twins organization. In 2005, he led all minor league pitchers in strikeouts, with 204. He made his major league debut in relief on September 5, 2005, against the Texas Rangers. He later joined the Twins' starting rotation and won his first game on September 30, 2005, against the Detroit Tigers. Liriano started the 2006 season in Minnesota's bullpen, but was promoted to the starting rotation in May, exchanging positions with struggling starter Carlos Silva. He won each of his first three starts.