Francisco Liriano was on the verge of tears after Monday night's game against the Tigers. However, it's the Twins who might be crying hardest with one of their aces looking at a likely trip to the disabled list.
<!--------------------------START PLAYER CARD------------------><TABLE class=tableheadFixWidth cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD class=whitelink colSpan=2>Francisco Liriano</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>
Starting Pitcher
Minnesota Twins
Profile</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=190 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead align=middle><TD align=middle colSpan=6>2006 SEASON STATISTICS</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">GM</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">W</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">L</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">BB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">K</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">ERA</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#ffffff><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">27</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">12</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">3</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">32</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">142</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">2.19</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!---------------------INLINE MINI-PLAYER CARD ENDS HERE--------------------->
The Tigers roughed up Liriano in a 9-3 rout Monday and, after the game, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire announced that the left-hander is still suffering from soreness in his throwing forearm.
Reports out of Minnesota say that the 22-year-old Cy Young candidate is out indefinitely with a left elbow injury. However, Gardenhire told reporters after Monday night's game that Liriano's problems appeared to be muscular in nature.
"It's a muscular problem -- as the game was going on, he started to feel it," Gardenhire said. "We had him checked out before, and everything was fine, but we'll have him checked out again. It's muscles, not his elbow."
After facing the Tigers on July 28, Liriano (12-3) missed his next start because of inflammation in the forearm. The rest did not seem to help, as he gave up four runs and a season-high 10 hits in just four innings. He struck out five.
"It started bothering me in the second inning," said Liriano, who was taken out after four innings. "It really bothered me. I couldn't throw fastball, changeup, slider or anything."
When asked if he was worried about his status, Liriano answered yes, "because it's getting worse."
Gardenhire said Liriano would be evaluated again when the Twins return from their road trip after Wednesday night's game at Detroit.
With Liriano's pitching arm still bothering him, the Twins on Tuesday selected the contract of right-hander Matt Garza from Triple-A Rochester.
Garza, the team's first-round draft pick in 2005, has made a fast rise through the minors, dominating at every stop. He was 3-1 with a 1.85 ERA and 33 strikeouts in five starts for the Red Wings. In his minor-league career, Garza is 18-8 with a 2.73 ERA and 243 strikeouts in 37 starts.
To make room for Garza, who will join the team for Tuesday night's game against the Tigers, the Twins optioned right-hander Mike Smith to Rochester. Smith gave up four earned runs in three innings of his only start for the Twins.
Twins pitcher Carlos Silva spoke to Liriano after the game and told him not to try to be a "hero" and pitch through pain.
"He needs to be a hero for a long time -- not a hero for just one year," Silva told reporters, according to the Pioneer Press.
"If you're going to lose him, it's better to lose him for two weeks than for his future," Silva said, according to the Star Tribune.
<!--------------------------START PLAYER CARD------------------><TABLE class=tableheadFixWidth cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width=200 align=right><TBODY><TR class=stathead><TD class=whitelink colSpan=2>Francisco Liriano</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow align=right><TD align=left>
Minnesota Twins
Profile</TD></TR><TR class=evenrow><TD align=middle><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width=190 bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR class=stathead align=middle><TD align=middle colSpan=6>2006 SEASON STATISTICS</TD></TR><TR align=right><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">GM</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">W</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">L</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">BB</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">K</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #bcbcb4" width="17%">ERA</TD></TR><TR align=right bgColor=#ffffff><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">27</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">12</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">3</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">32</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">142</TD><TD style="BACKGROUND: #999999">2.19</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!---------------------INLINE MINI-PLAYER CARD ENDS HERE--------------------->
The Tigers roughed up Liriano in a 9-3 rout Monday and, after the game, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire announced that the left-hander is still suffering from soreness in his throwing forearm.
Reports out of Minnesota say that the 22-year-old Cy Young candidate is out indefinitely with a left elbow injury. However, Gardenhire told reporters after Monday night's game that Liriano's problems appeared to be muscular in nature.
"It's a muscular problem -- as the game was going on, he started to feel it," Gardenhire said. "We had him checked out before, and everything was fine, but we'll have him checked out again. It's muscles, not his elbow."
After facing the Tigers on July 28, Liriano (12-3) missed his next start because of inflammation in the forearm. The rest did not seem to help, as he gave up four runs and a season-high 10 hits in just four innings. He struck out five.
"It started bothering me in the second inning," said Liriano, who was taken out after four innings. "It really bothered me. I couldn't throw fastball, changeup, slider or anything."
When asked if he was worried about his status, Liriano answered yes, "because it's getting worse."
Gardenhire said Liriano would be evaluated again when the Twins return from their road trip after Wednesday night's game at Detroit.
With Liriano's pitching arm still bothering him, the Twins on Tuesday selected the contract of right-hander Matt Garza from Triple-A Rochester.
Garza, the team's first-round draft pick in 2005, has made a fast rise through the minors, dominating at every stop. He was 3-1 with a 1.85 ERA and 33 strikeouts in five starts for the Red Wings. In his minor-league career, Garza is 18-8 with a 2.73 ERA and 243 strikeouts in 37 starts.
To make room for Garza, who will join the team for Tuesday night's game against the Tigers, the Twins optioned right-hander Mike Smith to Rochester. Smith gave up four earned runs in three innings of his only start for the Twins.
Twins pitcher Carlos Silva spoke to Liriano after the game and told him not to try to be a "hero" and pitch through pain.
"He needs to be a hero for a long time -- not a hero for just one year," Silva told reporters, according to the Pioneer Press.
"If you're going to lose him, it's better to lose him for two weeks than for his future," Silva said, according to the Star Tribune.