Francisco Liriano

The Toronto Blue Jays announced Monday that they acquired starting pitcher Francisco Liriano from the Pittsburgh Pirates prior to MLB's trade deadline. 

With the Pittsburgh Pirates facing stiff competition in the loaded National League Central, an injury to star pitcher Francisco Liriano's hamstring will be a cause for concern. 

Continue for updates. 

The Pittsburgh Pirates are keeping the gang together.

Francisco Liriano declined the Pittsburgh Pirates' initial qualifying offer but was able to negotiate and secure a long-term deal to remain with the club on Tuesday.

After not making the playoffs for the second year in a row, it is clear the New York Yankees will have to make some moves this winter if they intend to compete in 2015.

It's the Yankees, so you know that is exactly what their intentions are.

The positive mood created by Gregory Polanco's MLB debut was dampened a bit after Pittsburgh Pirates starter Francisco Liriano exited the game after three innings. The team announced that he was suffering from discomfort in his left side:

The pieces are all in place for the National League Wild Card Game. The teams, the venue and the pitching matchup have been decided.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds were locked in as the Senior Circuit's two wild-card clubs the moment the St. Louis Cardinals clinched the NL Central with a win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.

With the 2013 MLB All-Star Game rosters finally revealed, some pitchers might be staring at the selections in disbelief. 

The MLB tweeted both rosters' pitchers:

As a fan of the two Bay Area baseball teams, most of my observed impressions of players around Major League Baseball are based on their performances against the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's.

I was planning to post on the Pittsburgh Pirates' options at the starting pitcher position today, but it appears the Bucs have already settled their rotation.