Francisco Liriano has signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. (Ed Zurga, Getty Images)

Pitcher Francisco Liriano has signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates worth $14 million, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The contract means 2013 will be the first season in Liriano’s seven-year pro career that he won’t begin with the Minnesota Twins.

Liriano, 29, played most of the 2012 season in Minnesota before being traded to the Chicago White Sox. He went 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA in 2006 before tearing a ligament in his elbow. His record and ERA have steadily declined since then – he finished 2012 6-12 with a 5.34 ERA.

The Cardinals are interested in trading for starters Francisco Liriano and James Shields ahead of the trade deadline next week. (Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Aiming to boost their pitching staff, the St. Louis Cardinals are discussing trades with the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins for starters James Shields and Francisco Liriano, CBS Sports’ Scott Miller reported Saturday. Miller reported that the Cardinals also had tried to sign starter Ben Sheets before he inked a deal with the Atlanta Braves in June.

The Cardinals sit two games behind the Braves for the second National League wild card spot. They are six games behind the Cincinnati Reds in the NL Central and four games behind the second-place Pittsburgh Pirates.

Of the two starters, Liriano might be the easier deal to pull off. One source told CBS’ Miller that the Twins are “likely” to trade Liriano, who is 3-10 with a 5.31 ERA in 22 games — 17 starts — this season.

Shields, on the other hand, has the Rays thinking they can get a lucrative package of minor leaguers in return. The Rays are reportedly seeking more than what the Angels traded to the Brewers for Zack Greinke on Friday. The 30-year-old Shields is 8-7 with a 4.52 ERA this season.

The Cardinals also might face less competition for Liriano. The Texas Rangers, Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Indians have all been in talks with Tampa Bay about Shields. CBS’ Miller only pegs the Baltimore Orioles as Liriano’s other serious suitor.

A healthy Liriano could be a good pickup for a team fighting for a playoff spot. (Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Phil Mackey of 1500 ESPN in Minneapolis reports that the Atlanta Braves had a representative at Target Field on Monday, presumably to scout lefthander Francisco Liriano.

Mackey writes that Atlanta “was said to be paying close attention to Liriano,” who has a 2.41 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings since returning to the rotation on May 30. On Monday he went seven innings and allowed one run on seven hits, while whiffing five.

Liriano is making $5.5 million this season and will become a free agent this fall. The Braves fourth and fifth starters, Randall Delgado and Mike Minor, have both struggled this season.