After struggling in his last start with Pittsburgh, the veteran lefty is shipped off to Canada.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded southpaw Francisco Liriano to the Blue Jays for a top prospect, according to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports. In return, the Buccos get back 25-year old righty Drew Hutchison, who should immediately slide into their rotation.
Liriano, 32, was struggling in his fourth season in the Steel City with a 6-11 record, 5.46 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. However he is an 11-year veteran who has 94 wins to his credit. His best season came in his first with the Pirates, when he went 16-8, and he also went 12-7 two years later with very respectable ERAs of 3.02 and 3.38, respectively. He will be reunited with catcher Russell Martin, who was in Pittsburgh during Liriano’s first two seasons there.
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On Sunday, Liriano was touched up for a pair of homers over five innings, giving up all four runs in a loss to the Brewers.
Hutchison is signed through the end of the season, and is arbitration eligible although he doesn’t hit free agency until 2019. This season, he has appeared in just three games, although he was 13-5 despite an inflated 5.57 ERA and 1.48 WHIP a year ago. In three big league seasons, the former 15th round pick in 2009 is 30-21 with an ERA just under five. He has spent most of the season at Triple-A Buffalo, going 6-5 with a 3.26 ERA. He is considered a back of the rotation pitcher.
The trade is considered a bit of a salary dump for the Pirates, as Liriano was making nearly $14M compared to Hutchinson’s $2.2M.
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