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Ivan Nova’s Market Has Been Surprisingly Quiet This Offseason

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Throughout the offseason, I’ve posted updates on the starting pitching market, noting the players who make the most sense for the Pirates. Some of those options have gone off the board, such as Edinson Volquez, Andrew Cashner, and Derek Holland. The free agent market didn’t offer a lot of options to begin with, but it’s kind of a surprise that we sit here on December 18th with options still remaining.

I guess I should say, it’s a surprise that one option is still remaining: Ivan Nova.

The free agent class was considered weak heading into the offseason, with Nova viewed as the second best starting pitching option, behind Rich Hill. The Dodgers signed Hill to a three-year, $48 M deal, which was close to what he was projected to receive entering the offseason. Nova was projected for anywhere from 3-4 years and anywhere from $12-14 M. The only thing we’ve heard about his market is that he has received offers in the J.A. Happ range, which was three years and $36 M.

That’s about all we’ve heard so far. The news on Nova has been surprisingly quiet, even after Hill went off the board, and after Chris Sale was traded. You would have thought the news would pick up at that point. A quick look at his news archives on MLBTR shows that the updates have been few and far between, and mostly focused on the Pirates.

There have been two updates on Nova this month. One said that the Pirates were still engaged in signing him, and the other said that the Astros don’t view him as an option, because he’s too expensive. Prior to that, the last rumor heard was on November 13th, with his agent saying he has received offers in the three-year, $36 M range. At the time, that was viewed as light, but that might be near the high-end, considering the lack of public interest.

So far, the Pirates have been the only team linked to him. Nova has expressed interest in returning, although the two sides couldn’t reach a deal when they discussed an extension at the end of the season. All of this is a good sign for the Pirates being able to bring him back. Still, it’s not a guarantee of anything, as there could be teams interested who haven’t made the public rumor mill.

The Pirates need a starting pitcher, and Nova would be a good fit, especially if his late run in the final two months of the 2016 season was legit. He’d be a great option to put in the top three spots with Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon, while using the young pitchers from Indianapolis to round out the final two spots. But you’ve got to wonder what the hold up is, and why Nova’s market has been extremely quiet this offseason.

Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

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