Francisco Liriano agrees to 3-year $39 million deal
by Dave Morris Jr | Tue, Dec 9th 3:59pm EST
The Pittsburgh Pirates and free-agent starting pitcher Francisco Liriano have agreed to a new 3-year, $39 million dollar deal, per sources. (Twitter)
Fantasy Impact:
Returning to Pittsburgh was one of the best options as it relates back to the fantasy game. Not only will Liriano remain in the National League, he will also play his home games in an environment that reduces offense as compared to the rest of the league. This is especially important when it comes to home runs. According to the ESPN 2014 MLB Park Factors, PNC Park was the third toughest ballpark to hit a home run in last season. The one flaw in Liriano's game is his poor control. With a home park that will help keep fly balls from finding empty seats, Liriano's free-passes may not hurt him as much as other pitchers. On the positive note, Liriano continues to strike batters out at an above-average rate. Liriano's strikeouts are backed by a swinging strike rate of 13.6% last season (as compared to the MLB average rate of 9.4%). It is important to note, Liriano has never reached 200 innings pitched during his big league career. Liriano will be a valuable starter for fantasy owners, but keep your projections in check when it comes to innings pitched and in turn, counting statistics. With a little batted-ball luck and a continued ability to keep the ball in the yard, Liriano could also be an asset in ERA, while posting a league-average WHIP.
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