Tigers Add Veteran Pitcher To Roster

The Detroit Tigers announced that they inked LHP Francisco Liriano to a one-year, $4 million dollar deal with another $1 million in incentives according to MLB.com's Jason Beck.

Liriano joins pitchers Michael Fulmer, Jordan Zimmermann, Matthew Boyd, Daniel Norris and Mike Fiers in the starting rotation.

Beck writes Tigers general manager Al Avila also left the door open for Liriano to serve in a relief role.

The organization could use Liriano's experience to deepen their pitching rotation. Injuries, trades and general under-performance plagued Detroit last season.

Tigers general Manager Ron Gardenhire expressed heavy faith in Liriano.

"He can throw a slider all day long, and people just keep swinging and missing," Beck quoted Gardenhire.

Liriano, 34, previously played under Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire with the Minnesota Twins before being traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2012.

Most recently, Liriano was a bullpen pitcher during last season's Houston Astros World Series team after the Toronto Blue Jays traded him midseason.

He finished 2017 with a 5.66 ERA in 38 appearances.