Quality performances from Ivan Nova will be crucial for the Pittsburgh Pirates to have any kind of success this season.
It’s a day later than originally scheduled but Opening Day has officially arrived for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
And Ivan Nova will have the honor of getting things underway in the Motor City.
The veteran will head to the mound for the 1:10 p.m. matchup against the Detroit Tigers, who will send Jordan Zimmermann to the mound at Comerica Park.
Nova will be making his first career opening day start this afternoon and, like others around the league, he has an opportunity for a fresh start.
Rough year for staff veteran
The clean slate is a welcome one for Nova, who went 11-14 with a 4.14 ERA in 31 starts last season. The 31-year-old, who signed a three-year deal with the Pirates in December 2016, started the year as arguably one of the top pitchers in the National League, going 9-6 with a 3.21 ERA in 18 starts before the all-star break.
He struck out 67 and walked 15 in 120.2 innings, while opposing hitters batted .254 against him.
But the second half was a much different tale. The former Yankee made 13 starts, sporting an abysmal 5.83 ERA along with a 2-8 record. Hitters had much better success against the righty, batting .316. Nova, who did have some issues with his knee last season, was also more erratic than usual, walking 21 batters in 66.1 innings.
Putting 2017 in the rear view mirror
Despite the rough showing he had during the second half of last year, Nova’s struggles are in the past and today starts a new beginning for him.
And the Pirates hope to see this new beginning result in a bounce back season for the veteran.
Consistent starting pitching will be key for the team and it all starts at the top with the team’s new ace, Jameson Taillon, and Nova as the Pirates’ No. 2 starter.
It will trickle down to Trevor Williams and Chad Kuhl, two guys who could be on the verge of breakout campaigns, and Joe Musgrove, a guy who will likely be under a microscope given the fact that he was acquired in the deal for Gerrit Cole.
Taillon could be on the verge of a breakout season and Nova must prove that he can eat innings without seeing the dip in production that was seen last year.
A year after setting a career-high with 187 innings pitched, Nova knows what it takes to pitch an abundance of innings and should hopefully benefit from it.
That experience should help him avoid hitting the late season wall like he did last year and should allow him to serve as a consistent member of the Pirates rotation all season long.
Nova’s success benefits all
There is no doubting what Nova brings to the table. He’s a guy who can clearly go deep into ball games as he pitched five-plus innings in all but two of his starts last season, and he almost always has great command on the mound.
Nova’s showing during the second half of last year was concerning to say the least. But if he can put that all behind him, return to form and serve as a reliable veteran within this young pitching staff this season, the Pirates could turn a few heads.
However, if he struggles and those woes linger, it could be a long season for Nova and the Bucs.
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