Francisco Liriano has been named the Sporting News NL Comeback Player of the Year as voted by the NL players.
Liriano posted a 16 – 8 record with a 3.02 ERA in 26 starts for the Pirates while striking out 163 batters and walking 63.
He was signed in the offseason to a two-year, seven million dollar deal which had been reworked down from a larger amount after he suffered a broken non-throwing arm on Christmas Day of last year while playing with his children.
The injury caused him to miss the first month and a half of the season which turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he was able to fix some holes in his delivery which caused him to have down seasons in 2011 and 2012 after finishing 11th in the AL Cy Young voting in 2010.
Liriano saved one of his best outings of the season for the NL Wild Card game against the Cincinnati Reds in the first home playoff game since October of 1992.
He would pitch seven strong innings of four-hit, one-run ball against the Reds while striking out five in the Pirates 6 – 2 victory. He would also pitch a no-decision in game 3 of the NLDS against the Cardinals in Pittsburgh going six innings while giving up two runs on three hits and striking out five. The Pirates would win 5 – 3.
Liriano will be back for the Pirates in 2014 in the final year of his contract.
NL Comeback Player of the Year – Final Top-5
Francisco Liriano – Pittsburgh Pirates: 58
Mark Melancon – Pittsburgh Pirates: 8
Marlon Byrd – Pittsburgh Pirates: 6
Chris Johnson – Atlanta Braves: 3
Jayson Werth – Washington Nationals: 3
(Photo Credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
