Liriano Still Viable

Francisco Liriano gave up 4 earned runs in just 3.2 innings pitched in his last start. Liriano has a 4.54 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP this season.

Analysis: Regardless of his troubles on the mound Francisco Liriano remains a viable fantasy starter. His K/9 rate is still great at 8.84 and his HR/FB rate is above his career average but most likely will return to his norm. Liriano’s xFIP is still under 4.00 this season which leads one to believe that he can still put up legit fantasy numbers even if he is on the decline.

Yes, Liriano is not the same pitcher he was last year. His fastball velocity is down to 91.8 from 93.0 last year and his slider velocity is down to 84.5 from 86.9 last year. He is also struggling with his command- his walk rate is up to 4.06 BB/9(it was 3.52 BB/9 last year).

It really is a mixed bag with Liriano. His velocity is down and his command is off but his strikeout rate is 29th in the bigs and his xFIP is solid at 3.65. Liriano is available in 10-30% of fantasy leagues.

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