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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Francisco Liriano may be a hot commodity on the trade market heading to the deadline, according to several sources.
The volatile left-hander, who was demoted to the bullpen early on in the season after an awful start, has regained his form in the past month. Since his return to the Twins rotation on May 30, Liriano has a 2.41 ERA in six starts, striking out 40 batters in 37 1/3 innings.
The 28-year-old lefty, who was scouted by the Atlanta Braves earlier this week, could draw "robust interest" from several teams in the next month, according to Jon Morosi of CBS Sports.
Club official I spoke with expects robust interest in #Twins lefty Francisco Liriano. Mercurial but he's been the Good Frankie of late.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 26, 2012
Buster Olney of ESPN Insider and Ben Cafardo of the Boston Globe agree with the Morosi, stating that the lefty could be a viable trade chip for the struggling Twins if he can continue his hot streak. Both the Braves and the Toronto Blue Jays are on the search for rotation help due to injuries, and Liriano could be a solution to their pitching problems.