The Pirates have reached a deal to acquire Ivan Nova from the Yankees, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman (on Twitter). MLB.com’s Adam Berry tweets that the Yankees will receive two players to be named.
The Bucs will lean on the 29-year-old Nova to help their beleaguered rotation. Nova hasn’t had the best season himself, posting a 4.90 ERA, 6.9 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 over 97 1/3 innings, although his struggles this year are due in part to a very high 21.3% HR/FB rate that the Pirates probably feel will improve in Pittsburgh. Nova’s 54.3% ground ball rate was likely appealing to the Bucs, as was the fact that ERA estimators like xFIP and SIERA are almost a run lower than his actual ERA.
Nova is eligible for free agency after the season, so he’ll be a rental for the Pirates. (The 52-52 Yankees likely felt there was limited downside in dealing him, given that he wasn’t pitching particularly well and was set to depart anyway.) The Bucs will have limited time to help Nova improve, but they have a reputation for helping struggling pitchers and did quite well in acquiring the previously-nondescript J.A. Happ as a rental at last year’s deadline, so perhaps they feel they can do so again.
Nova will soak up starts in a Pirates rotation that has leaned heavily on struggling veterans like Jeff Locke, Jon Niese (who was traded back to the Mets today) and Francisco Liriano (who headed to the Blue Jays). The Bucs had previously traded closer Mark Melancon to the Nationals, but their trade for Nova looks to be at least a tepid move toward improving their chances of winning a Wild Card spot this season.
At the buzzer
Why?? Pointless trade!
For whom
Glasnow?
HAHA good one!
Taillon too?
May as well throw Bell and Meadows in there too!
That train also lol
Wonder who they gave up
Thank you Jesus!
YES! I was starting to think Nova wasn’t going to get traded. I don’t even care what we get back.
Agreed lol
Agreed.
Good riddance to him and his cockroaches.
Who are the yanks getting in return???
I’m sure he’ll go on to be very good for the Pirates
I’m sure of that myself.
Who do the yanks get in return???
Fast and furious activity. I love deadline day. It has officially passed NFL Draft day as my favorite non-game sports day.
Hanson
Their pitching coach is magician, he’s going to flourish over there.
I think he’ll turn out like JA Happ
Great for both and why not as cost probably wasn’t prohibitive. A bit shocked by how little interest in Pineda from NL teams.
The Yankees are cleaning house – lol – BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ the trade line is over!
I called this one, just makes too much sense. Need an innings eater in the rotation.
I hate when the Yankees trade with the Pirates. It’s like one of those “these aren’t the droids” moments.
I kinda like it.
That said, this deal is so pointless. why let a FA pitch when they could let Kuhl, Brault or Glasnow pitch instead?
Typical Pirates trade
I wonder how close they were on Archer.
This guy is gonna be throwing smoke by batters in the NL Central. That pitching coach is nuts.
They they just trade their closer. Are they buying or selling?
They wanted to trade Melancon last winter but could not get anything for him then. Tony Watson was going to be the closer anyway. He is now and they picked up a quality lefty in Rivos and a huge upside guy in Hearn
The annual Pirates/Yankees trade happens again. Hopefully the Yankees can get Josh Bell this time 🙂
For Nova? lol now that is funny
The Pirates are doing both. They sold on Melancon because he was a pending FA and they wanted to cash in on that chip. They got a long-term left bullpen piece and a decent starter prospect for him.
They just traded Niese back to the Mets too.
Good John Neise sent back to the muts,and I don’t care if it’s for the bat boy
Got Bastardo back for him.
whatever they pay ray searage it isnt enough
The only bad signing on your list is Ellsbury. Even if Sabathia is costing them tons of money, he’s earned it.
Technically, Nova is a rental as he is a FA. Yanks can give Severino another shot, Mitchell is in rehab now. Trade Nova for whatever represents a decent move for Cashman
Best of all worlds would be Pirates fix Nova like they did with Happ last year then Yankees resign him as a free agent.
Let’s get Charlie Haye’s son! We need a 3B