Francisco Liriano Is Back On Track

After hitting a rough patch in late April, left-handed starting pitcher Francisco Liriano is back on track.

On Friday night in St. Louis Pirate left-handed starter Francisco Liriano stifled the Cardinals over seven strong innings. In seven innings pitched Liriano allowed just five hits, two runs, two walks, and he struck out ten batters. It was the second time Liriano struck out ten batters in a start this year, with the other also coming against the Cardinals on Opening Day.

This was Francisco Liriano’s second consecutive strong start after allowing just one run over 6 2/3 innings pitched in his last outing against the Cincinnati Reds. What is most encouraging from Liriano is that in his last two starts he has walked just two batters in a combined 13 2/3 innings pitched. Prior to these two starts, Liriano had an abysmal 7.17 BB/9.

So far this season the Pirate pitching staff has been very up and down. A big reason has been due to a lack of consistency from Francisco Liriano. However, in his last two starts it appears Liriano is starting to get back on track.

Francisco Liriano has also seen a return of filthiness to his pitches in recent starts. Liriano’s slider, to no surprise, has been his best pitch this season as opposing hitters have a wRC+ of just 41 against it. Also, his slider has been responsible for 46.7 percent of his strikeouts this season.

Also, Francisco Liriano is once again getting hitters to swing at pitches he is throwing outside of the strike zone. Hitters are swinging and missing at 17.7 percent of fastballs outside of the strike zone, 40.2 percent of sliders, and 41.2 percent of change ups.

When you combine the nastiness Francisco Liriano’s pitches have had his last two starts with the control he has demonstrated in these starts, he is one of the most unhittable starting pitchers in all of baseball. The control with Liriano runs deeper than just his lack of walks his last two starts. He has done a great job of spotting the ball where catcher Francisco Cervelli wants it.

While Francisco Liriano’s FIP (4.50), home run rate (1.29 HR/9), and walk rate (4.89 BB/9) all still remain too high they have started to drop over his past two starts.

Following Liriano’s start in Arizona on April 24th his stats looked like this: 4.64 ERA, 6.50 FIP, 4.54 xFIP, 7.17 BB/9, 9.70 K/9, 2.11 HR/9, and a 55.8 percent ground ball rate. After his last two starts, all of these numbers have improved for Francisco Liriano. To go along with his FIP, HR/9, and BB/9 mentioned above Liriano’s ERA has dropped to 3.60, xFIP to 3.84, his strike out rate is up to 10.03 K/9, and his ground ball rate has risen to 56.8 percent.

Liriano’s success goes back a little further than just his last two starts as well. In that April 24th start against the Diamondbacks Francisco Liriano had allowed four runs through three innings, but then he cruised over his final three innings of work that day. After allowing a two out home run to Welington Castillo in the third, Liriano would retire 10 of the final 11 batters he faced striking out five. Ever since the fourth inning of that game in Arizona, Francisco Liriano has looked like himself.

Now that Francisco Liriano is pitching like himself yet again the Pirate rotation improves substantially, but the rotation still needs help. Gerrit Cole needs to get more consistent, Juan Nicasio and Jeff Locke just need to keep doing what they have been doing, and Jon Niese needs to be better. Also, the Pirates should promote Jameson Taillon to join the rotation. But, you can read more about that by clicking the link above.

Prior to his start in Arizona on April 24th I said the best thing that could happen to the Pirate rotation would be for Francisco Liriano to get back on track, and ever since the fourth inning of that start that is exactly what has happened. Over the course of his final three innings of that start and the entirety of his previous two starts Francisco Liriano has, once again, looked like Francisco Liriano. Francisco Liriano is back on track, and that is a massive shot in the arm for the Pirate rotation.