Twins hopeful Liriano will return this season

? The Twins are optimistic, but not totally confident, that injured left-hander Francisco Liriano will return this season. Liriano, 12-3 with a league-leading 2.19 earned-run average, had a second, enhanced MRI exam Thursday when a shot of dye was injected into his arm for a better reading.

The test showed a mild chronic strain of his ulnar collateral ligament, and a clinical exam revealed weakness and stiffness in his shoulder that is causing that soreness in his forearm near his elbow.