Liriano best trade chip as Twins look to restock pitching inventory

Whatever the Twins do at the July 31 deadline, and sizzling lefty Francisco Liriano is producing just in the nick of time as their best trade chip, their mission is clear.

They will require pitching in return.

Then, they will turn their attention to acquiring more pitching.

The Twins have run about as far as they can with Liriano, 28, who becomes a free agent this winter. Several clubs, including the Yankees, Mets, Angels, Braves, Blue Jays and Red Sox, are watching him and, as they do, he's starting to look like the Liriano of old.

Over his past two starts against the Athletics and Orioles, he's fanned 25 hitters. That equals the most whiffs in back-to-back starts in Twins history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Johan Santana also did on July 1 and 6, 2004.

Buried in last place in the AL Central, the Twins are in deep trouble because the starting pitching depth that fueled their winning run from 2001-2010 is gone. With Carl Pavano (shoulder) and Scott Baker (elbow) disabled and Nick Blackburn disappointing, the organization is out of rabbits to pull out of hats.

Entering Thursday afternoon's series finale against the Orioles, the Twins ranked last in the American League in ERA (4.93) and strikeouts (545). They also have surrendered the most homers in the AL (123).

More specifically, Twins starting pitchers have been atrocious, ranking last in the AL and 29th in baseball in both ERA (5.79) and opponents' batting average (.299) and having yielded the most home runs of any starting rotation in baseball (89).

Liriano, whose sensational breakout season in 2006 (12-3, 2.16 ERA) was quickly followed by Tommy John ligament transfer surgery in '07, has not been that consistently good since.

Even this season, the Twins, at wit's end when he went 0-5 with a 9.45 ERA over his first six starts, demoted him to the bullpen in mid-May. He's been much better since returning to the rotation on May 30, showing flashes of his old self.

Over his past two starts, aside from the 25 strikeouts, Liriano has allowed five earned runs, eight hits and walked four in 14 innings.