Thriving with Pirates
BRADENTON — New team. New hair color.
“I’m trying to do something different,” blond-haired, ex-Yankee Ivan Nova said after facing his former team for the first time on Monday. “I’m trying to have fun now that I can. In New York, I couldn’t do that.”
Nova’s seven years with the Yankees were filled with ups and downs. But after he was dealt to the Pirates at last season’s trade deadline, he rediscovered himself. He went 5-2 with a 3.06 ERA and three complete games in 11 starts for Pittsburgh, landing a threeyear, $26 million contract as a result.
Nova went three innings against the Yankees in the Pirates’ 13-1 Grapefruit League victory, allowing one unearned run, the result of his own two errors. Before Nova’s first pitch, leadoff man Brett Gardner nodded at Nova. Nova smiled back.
“It was a little strange,” Nova said. “I played with so many guys there. I’m not going to lie, there were a lot of emotions. I was pumped up at the beginning of the game, but I just had to calm down and pitch. It was good to see my old teammates.”
Gardner later hit a comebacker to Nova in his second at-bat, which deflected off of the 30-year-old veteran’s right palm. Nova then made an errant throw to first, which allowed Gardner to reach second. A wild pitch by Nova ended with Gardner scoring the Yanks’ only run. “We’ll see tomorrow, but it feels fine,” said Nova, who had his palm wrapped with ice.
Nova’s best Yankee seasons were in 2011 (16-4, 3.70 ERA) and 2013 (9-6, 3.10). But he had Tommy John surgery in 2014 and was never the same in pinstripes. He went 6-11 with a 5.07 ERA in 2015 and 7-6 with a 4.90 in 2016 before the trade. “He was kind of a two-pitch pitcher — fastball, curveball — and used some occasional changeups,” Joe Girardi said. “Some teams just hit him better than others. We saw at times he could be really, USA TODAY really good and dominating, and then other times it would be a struggle. I think it had to do with his sinker a lot of days: how good his command was, how much it was sinking. But I know he came over here and threw well and got a three-year deal. I’m happy for him, but he did some good things for us.”
As an impending free agent, Nova had heard rumors that the Yankees might move him. “There were a lot of new guys coming up, and they wanted to give them an opportunity,” Nova said. “I understood that part, so I think it worked out really well. I had my ups and downs, and coming back from Tommy John not the way I wanted, but at least they gave me the opportunity to be on the team.”
Nova also sported facial hair too. “No chance,” he replied when asked if he could grow that in New York. “But I respect that. It’s their way. It’s nothing against them. But this organization is a little different, so I thought why not?”
If only the Yankees had this Nova. Bryan Mitchell, one of five candidates vying for the final two spots in the Yankee rotation, allowed four runs on six hits in 2.1 innings. He started the spring with six consecutive scoreless frames before he got in trouble in the second inning on Monday. Jordy Mercer homered to left off Mitchell in the third. “His command was not good with really any of his pitches today, and it cost him,” Girardi said. “He didn’t control his fastball. His curveball wasn’t as sharp as I’ve seen it. Some of it was sliders that were not strikes out of his hand, so he really didn’t have a whole lot today.” Nova has found comfort in Pittsburgh. “I won’t forget the good memories I had in New York,” Nova said. “The good games that I pitched, the bad games that I pitched. The media treated me really well. It’s not like everybody says. If you do the wrong thing, it’s going to be hard, but I think I did the right thing every time over there, and the fans treated me well. I’m going to have good memories from the Yankees.”