Francisco Liriano stuck at one win on season
By Cory Buck
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in the thick of the toughest division race in baseball, thanks to a potent middle of the lineup and a full complement of capable starting pitchers. If they’re going to make the playoffs for the second year in a row though, they’re going to need more arms.
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An obvious candidate for a second-half revival is starting pitcher Francisco Liriano, who is currently stuck at one win in 2014. If he can get some more in the last two months of the season, look out for the Bucs.
Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Live writes that Liriano may be struggling this year, but he possesses everything necessary to return to the dominant form he showed last year. Liriano led the team last year with 16 wins and a 3.02 ERA. In two playoff starts, he allowed a combined three earned runs against the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals.
Rossi writes that while the Pirates have many good pitchers, it’s Liriano who they need the most.
"“Even if Morton continues his consistent ground-ball befuddlement, Gerrit Cole returns from injury to recapture his sterling form from the second half a year ago and Edinson Volquez and Jeff Locke keep defying reasonable expectations … nothing is going to hit big for the Pirates like another comeback by Liriano.”"
Liriano won’t match his 2013 win total in 2014, but he can play just as pivotal a role in getting the Bucs back to the playoffs.