Improved form boosts Liriano's trade value

Francisco Liriano is pitching better than he has in a long time, and it might just get him traded. Though the Minnesota Twins are on a roll of sorts, winners of six of eight after beating the Rangers 5-1 Friday in Texas, they don't have the rotation to make it sustainable. In last place all season, they're throwing rookies at the Rangers on Saturday and Sunday, and Minnesota general manager Terry Ryan is looking for teams that might be interested in a pitcher with an expiring contract who can help down the stretch. Like Liriano. That seemed unlikely in mid-May, when Liriano was demoted to the bullpen after going 0-5 with a 9.45 ERA in six starts. But since being promoted back to the rotation on May 30, Liriano is 3-2 with a 2.74 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings. What changed? "I wish there was some big moment where the sun popped out on our heads and it was a bright and shining light, but no," manager Ron Gardenhire said when asked to explain the dif...