Pirates give Liriano minor-league contract

Liriano spent 2018 with the Detroit Tigers. (Carlos Osorio/AP)

PITTSBURGH — Francisco Liriano is back with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 35-year-old left-hander agreed to a minor league contract with the team on Monday that includes an invitation to big league camp.

He pitched for Pittsburgh from 2013-16, going 41-36 with a 3.67 ERA and 659 strikeouts in 107 starts. He earned the victory in Pittsburgh’s win over Cincinnati in the 2013 NL wild card game, allowing one run over seven innings.

Pittsburgh traded Liriano to Toronto on Aug. 1, 2016. He went from Toronto to Houston at the 2017 trade deadline and earned a World Series ring while working out of the bullpen for the Astros. Liriano spent 2018 with the Detroit Tigers, going 5-12 with a 4.58 ERA in 27 games.

The Pirates appear set at the top of their rotation with Jameson Taillon, Chris Archer, Trevor Williams and Joe Musgrove. Liriano could pitch his way into the mix for the fifth spot if he can regain the form he showed during his first tour with Pittsburgh.

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