Francisco Liriano officially signs three-year deal with Pirates

Lefty Francisco Liriano re-signed with the Pirates this week. (Peter Diana/Post-Gazette)

Francisco Liriano’s three-year, $39 million contract became official Friday after the left-hander passed his physical, completing the return of their 2014 opening-day starter on the biggest contract given a free agent in franchise history.

Liriano, 31, struck out 175 batters in 1621/3 innings in 2014 on his way to a 3.38 ERA. A groin issue affected him near the end of spring training and he missed a month because of an oblique strain. But in 86 second-half innings, he had a 2.20 ERA and improved his strikeout-to-walk ratio.

“Once he came back from the oblique strain, he was healthy and he was lights-out,” general manager Neal Huntington said. “That was a fun pitcher to watch compete.”

Huntington said he did not get the sense that Liriano being attached to draft-pick compensation affected his market value or his decision to return to PIttsburgh. Liriano declined the Pirates’ $15.3 million qualifying offer.

“We value the process, but we valued Francisco more,” Huntington said.

Of the record free-agent contract and rising payrolls, Huntington said, ““We’ve continued to put what we take in back into the club.”

Liriano and Gerrit Cole will lead a rotation that also includes Morton and A.J. Burnett. Vance Worley and Jeff Locke will likely compete for the final spot.

“It looks very similar to the 2013 staff,” Charlie Morton said Friday during the Pirates’ winter caravan. “Obviously some key pieces aren't here anymore that were there, but I feel like the makings are there to reproduce those results. I'm really excited.”

Morton is rehabilitating after having surgery in September to repair a torn labrum in his right hip. He said Friday he expects to be ready for opening day.

“If you need a reference for timetable for me, I would just look at my left hip, because I had the exact same thing done on my left hip,” Morton said.

After having surgery Oct. 10, 2011, Morton missed only his first start of 2012 and pitched his first game April 14. He had the procedure Sept. 26 this year.

“And we were being pretty conservative,” Morton said.