Francisco Liriano
A Dominican left-hander whose electric arm survived major surgery to craft a long, resilient career defined by dramatic comebacks.
Born 1983 (age 43)·Dominican baseball pitcher·Birthday: October 26·Millennials
Biography
Francisco Liriano's baseball story is one of tantalizing promise, devastating setback, and stubborn resilience. He exploded onto the scene with the Minnesota Twins in 2006, his slider buckling knees and his fastball humming, earning an All-Star nod as a rookie. Then, Tommy John surgery robbed him of that initial magic and nearly his career. What followed was a 13-year journey of reinvention. Liriano learned to pitch with guile and guts, transforming from a fireballer into a crafty veteran who could still dominate on any given night. This evolution was so profound that he earned the unique distinction of winning the Comeback Player of the Year award in both the American and National Leagues. His career, spanning from ace to reliever, stands as a testament to adaptability and sheer will on the mound.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Francisco was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Francisco Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Francisco's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned the MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award twice, in the American League (2010) and the National League (2013).
- Selected as an American League All-Star in his dazzling rookie season with the Minnesota Twins in 2006.
- Pitched a no-hitter for the Minnesota Twins against the Chicago White Sox on May 3, 2011.
- Was a key starting pitcher for the playoff-bound Pittsburgh Pirates teams in the mid-2010s.
Did You Know?
He was originally signed by the San Francisco Giants but was traded to the Twins in a deal that also sent Joe Nathan to Minnesota.
Liriano pitched in the 2017 World Series as a reliever for the Houston Astros.
He and fellow pitcher Edinson Volquez were traded for each other in a 2017 deadline deal between Toronto and Houston.
He won a World Series ring with the Astros in 2017 despite being traded before the postseason.
“After the surgery, I had to learn how to pitch all over again.”
