Francisco Liriano

Francisco Liriano was born on October 26, 1983, in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic. Signed by the San Francisco Giants as an international free agent in 2000, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins in 2003 in the famous deal that sent A.J. Pierzynski to San Francisco. In 2006, his rookie season alongside Johan Santana captivated baseball: Liriano went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA and 144 strikeouts, earning selection to the MLB All-Star Game.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery, Liriano made an inspirational recovery. On May 3, 2011, pitching for the Minnesota Twins against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field, Liriano threw the fifth no-hitter in Twins franchise history. In 2013, he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates, compiling a 16-8 record with a 3.02 ERA and leading the Pirates to their first postseason appearance in twenty-one years, earning NL Comeback Player of the Year honours. In 2017, Liriano joined the Houston Astros, where he made crucial postseason relief appearances during Houston's march to the 2017 World Series championship. Over his fourteen MLB seasons, he recorded 112 wins and 1,815 strikeouts.