White Sox acquire pitcher Francisco Liriano from Minnesota in exchange for Eduardo Escobar and Pedro Hernandez

July 28, 2012

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Chicago White Sox have acquired left-handed pitcher Francisco Liriano from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for infielder Eduardo Escobar and left-hander Pedro Hernandez.

Liriano, 28, is 3-10 with a 5.31 ERA (59 ER/100.0 IP) and 109 strikeouts in 22 games (17 starts) for the Twins in 2012. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder ranks third in the American League in strikeouts per 9.0 IP (9.81) and has limited lefties to a .195 (15-77) average. He lost his last start on July 23 at the White Sox (7 ER/2.2 IP) after posting a 2.84 ERA (20 ER/63.1 IP) with 77 strikeouts in his previous 10 outings.

Liriano has gone 50-52 with a 4.33 ERA (377 ER/783.1 IP) and 788 strikeouts in 156 career games (130 starts) over eight major-league seasons, all with Minnesota. The native of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic has held left-handers to a career .224 (150-669) average with six home runs, and has averaged 9.05 strikeouts per 9.0 IP, fourth-best among active lefty starters behind Clayton Kershaw (9.26), Jonathan Sanchez (9.14) and Oliver Perez (9.12). Liriano’s 422 strikeouts since the start of the 2010 season rank seventh among AL lefties.

His best season came as a rookie in 2006 when he went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA (29 ER/121.0 IP) and 144 strikeouts in 28 games (16 starts) and was named to the AL All-Star Team. Liriano was named AL Comeback Player of the Year in 2010 after going 14-10 with a 3.62 ERA (77 ER/191.2 IP) and 201 strikeouts in 31 starts for the AL Central champions. His 201 strikeouts ranked fifth in the AL and were the seventh-highest total by a left-hander in Twins history.

Liriano threw the fifth no-hitter in Twins history and third in U.S. Cellular Field history on May 3, 2011 against the White Sox and was the Twins Opening Day starter in 2009. He has pitched in two postseason games, making a relief appearance in the 2009 ALDS vs. New York and starting Game 1 of the 2010 ALDS vs. the Yankees.

Liriano was acquired by the Twins from San Francisco on November 14, 2003 with pitchers Boof Bonser and Joe Nathan in return for catcher A.J. Pierzynski.

Escobar, 23, is batting .207 (18-87) with no home runs and three RBI in 36 games this season with Chicago. The switch-hitting rookie appeared in 22 games at third base, six at second, four at shortstop and one in left field.

Escobar originally was signed by Chicago as a free agent on January 28, 2006.

Hernandez, 23, has combined to go 8-2 with a 2.94 ERA (28 ER/85.2 IP) and 54 strikeouts in 15 appearances (14 starts) this season between Class AA Birmingham and Class AAA Charlotte this season. He made his major-league debut for the White Sox in a start on July 18 at Boston, allowing eight runs on 12 hits over 4.0 IP of a losing effort.

Hernandez was acquired from San Diego on December 31, 2011 with pitcher Simon Castro in exchange for outfielder Carlos Quentin.

This is the first trade between the teams since April 30, 1986 when the White Sox sent pitchers Juan Agosto and Kurt Walker to Minnesota for pitcher Pete Filson.

The White Sox will make a corresponding roster move prior to tomorrow’s series finale in Texas.