Another Weird Baseball Injury: Francisco Liriano Broke His Arm While Trying To Scare His Children

A few days before Christmas, the Pirates were reportedly close to inking a free-agent contract with lefthander Francisco Liriano. The deal appeared to be on the verge of falling through, however, when the team announced that Liriano had mysteriously injured his non-throwing arm sometime over the holidays. In the end, Liriano agreed to a one-year deal for a guaranteed $1 million this past Friday, with incentives for additional money this year and a team/vesting option for 2014. The contract was finalized after Liriano finally passed a physical. He expects to be back to normal before the start of the regular season.

And now we know the reason for the delay: Liriano had broken his right humerus on Christmas Day while slamming himself into a door in an attempt to frighten his kids, who were in the next room. Liriano told reporters today the arm didn't seem to hurt too much at first. He was supposed to fly to Pittsburgh on Dec. 26, but he was eventually in such pain he told his wife he had to go to the hospital.

Liriano said he had to call his agent, Greg Genske, to tell him he couldn't travel to the United States to take his physical.

"At first he thought I was joking," Liriano said. "It was sad and disappointing a little bit. Things happen. I wish I could take it back."

Sounds like Liriano's gonna fit right in with the Pirates.

[ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; H/T to dr. yunzer]