A Look Back at Francisco Liriano’s First Stint with the Pittsburgh Pirates

Former Pirates’ left-handed pitcher Francisco Liriano was one of the team’s best pitchers in the early-to-mid 2010’s. But his first stint ended in uncermonionus fashion.

Francisco Liriano was one of the most integral pieces in the Pittsburgh Pirates three consecutive postseason berths from 2013-2015. However, after signing a new contract at what looked to be a team friendly deal at the time following the 2014 season, the lefty would fall off a cliff in 2016. This led to the Pirates making what I consider one of the worst trades they made throughout the 2010s.

When the Bucs first signed the left hander, he was a down-on-his-luck former All-Star who posted a 5.23 ERA, 4.43 FIP, and 1.48 WHIP in the two prior seasons combined. This signing came at a time when the Pirates were known for their success with reclamation project pitchers.

Because of his struggles, the Pirates were able to snag Liriano on a two-year, $1 million deal. I don’t think you need to be told that it was one of the best signings the Pirates made in the decade, and it paid dividends.

In 2013, Liriano bounced back to the tune of a 3.02 ERA, 2.92 FIP, and 1.22 WHIP in 161 innings pitched. His walks per 9, which sat at 5.0 in the two previous seasons, went all the way down to 3.5. Liriano was still striking out batters at a healthy 9.1 K/9 rate. Batters couldn’t square up Frankie, as he gave up hard hit contact just 29.8% of the time, and he allowed only nine home runs, resulting in a 0.5 HR/9 rate.

His 2013 success led to him getting the nod for the first playoff game in PNC Park history, and the first playoff appearance by the Pittsburgh Pirates since 1992. On that magical night, he pitched magnificently. Liriano fired 7 innings of one run ball, giving up four hits, one walk, and striking out five batters, and helping the Bucs move on to the NLDS. In the NLDS he again pitched great giving up just 2 earned runs across 6 innings in his lone appearance. This appearance was Game 3, a game the Pirates would win.

Liriano continued his success the following season. In 162.1 innings, Francisco carried a 3.38 ERA, 3.59 FIP, and 1.30 WHIP. Despite his walk rate going up by a whole walk (4.5 BB/9), his strikeout rate also rose to 9.7 K/9. Home runs still weren’t an issue, as he had a 0.7 HR/9 rate.

After his two great seasons in Pittsburgh, Liriano hit free agency. But the Pittsburgh Pirates were able to re-sign the ace to a reasonable three-year, $39 million contract. At the time, that seemed like a steal for the Pirates, and this only increased throughout the 2015 season.

Liriano would have one of the best seasons of his career in 2015. In 186.2 innings pitched, the most he had pitched since 2010, Liriano posted a 3.38 ERA, 3.19 FIP, and 1.21 WHIP. He struck out a career high 205 batters, and saw his walk rate go back down to 2013 levels (3.4 BB/9 to be exact). He only gave up 15 home runs, resulting in a 0.7 HR/9. He also recorded the lowest hard hit rate of his career at 24.3% (min. 100 innings pitched).

Entering 2016, expectations would still be high for Frankie. After all, he just put up three great seasons, and was a key cog in the Bucs making three straight playoff appearances. But Liriano’s performance fell off a cliff. Through his first 113.2 innings of the season, Liriano gave up 69 earned runs. That’s one less than his 2015 total, but in 73 fewer innings. He also gave up 19 home runs, and walked 69 batters. His hard hit rate jumped over 10% as well.

What the Pirates would do next is more than questionable. To shed the remaining money on Liriano’s contract, the Pirates salary dumped him on the Toronto Blue Jays. But not without having to give something up. They had to include highly touted prospects catcher Reese McGuire and outfielder Harold Ramirez. The only thing the Pirates received back, other than salary relief, was right hander Drew Hutchinson.

This was a bad trade for multiple reasons. McGuire was just 21 at the time, and a former first round draft pick in 2013. Although he wasn’t doing all that great with the bat, he had caught 39% of the runners trying to steal on him. He was ranked as the 4th best catching prospect in baseball, and was going to make it to the show on his fielding ability alone.

Ramriez on the other hand, was having a decent season in Triple-A. Through 414 plate appearances Ramirez had posted a .306/.354/.401 line with two home runs and seven stolen bases. He entered the season as a top-100 prospect according to both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus.

Hutchinson did awful in a Bucs uniform. He pitched just 11.1 innings with the Pirates and he gave up 7 earned runs on two home runs, and 15 total hits. Now the Pirates did reinvest the money into another starter, that being Ivan Nova, but it’s not like Nova was worth what the Pirates had to give up to free up the money to sign him. Plus, it isn’t like Liriano couldn’t at the very least bounce back, and reproduce what Nova would go on to pitch like in the next two seasons in a Pirates uniform.

After being traded to the Blue Jays, Liriano would pitch much better. In 49.1 innings for the rest of 2016, Liriano had a 2.92 ERA, 3.98 FIP, and 1.18 WHIP. Although he struggled again throughout the rest of 2017, the Blue Jays were still able to salvage it, receiving Teoscar Hernandez by trading him to the Houston Astros where he would serve as a relief pitcher for the remainder of 2017.

So, in conclusion, the Blue Jays were the winner of this three-year, $39 million contract. Out of Liriano, they got a solid 50 inning run out of him, and what has turned into a league average bat who you can rely on to hit 20-25 home runs a season in Hernandez, and a still young catcher who could have value, both with the bat and glove, this upcoming 2020 season.

Francisco Liriano’s first tenure with the Pittsburgh Pirates started off with a bang, being the team’s best starter, and starting one of the most memorable games in Pirates history. But ended with a whimper when the Pirates were so desperate to get rid of his contract, they packaged a catching prospect who was seen as the future behind the plate for the team. The three-year contract the Pirates handed out was an ill-faded one, and the trade to dump the contract was even more ill-advised.