Twins rumors: Minnesota offered Francisco Liriano, Joe Saunders contracts

The Minnesota Twins have made contract offers to several free agents, including left-handers Joe Saunders and Francisco Liriano, reports La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune:

It's Day Three of the winter meetings, and I have learned that the Twins have made contract offers to several free agent pitchers.

I have confirmed that two of their targets are Joe Saunders and former Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano.

Minnesota is clearly in the market for starting pitching this offseason, as the team only has one name penciled into their projected 2013 rotation; left-hander Scott Diamond. Beyond Saunders and Liriano the Twins have also been tied to Joe Blanton, Kevin Correia, Brett Myers, John Lannan and Vicente Padilla this week.

Saunders started the 2012 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in August. Combined over 28 starts for the Diamondbacks and Orioles the left-hander posted an ERA of 4.07. Over eight seasons at the major league level the 31-year-old owns an ERA of 4.15.

Liriano had spent his entire major league career with the Twins before he was traded to the Chicago White Sox last summer. The 29-year-old posted an ERA of 5.34 over 34 appearances, including 28 starts, and owns a career mark of 4.40.