Once again in 2016, the Pirates acquired a pitcher and helped him improve as he headed into free agency.
This time they got to keep him.
The Pirates and Ivan Nova have agreed to terms on a three-year, $26 million contract, according to a source, bringing the right-hander back into the Pirates’ rotation after his exceptional two-month run at the end of last season.
The deal is contingent upon Nova passing a physical. Re-signing Nova provides the Pirates with much-needed pitching help as they enter next season with a young and inexperienced rotation, and brings into the fold one of the best available free-agent starters on a very reasonable contract.
Year-by-year breakdowns were not immediately available. Nova received a $2 million signing bonus. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported that Nova can earn up to an additional $2 million per year in performance-based incentives clauses. FanRag Sports first reported the deal.
After getting Nova from the New York Yankees at the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline for minor leaguers Tito Polo and Stephen Tarpley, the Pirates offered him at least two extensions prior to the end of the regular season. Nova’s representatives initially responded that he was looking for a deal in the neighborhood of five years and $70 million.
Rich Hill, who will be 37 when the 2017 season begins, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for three years and $48 million. Edinson Volquez, who last season led the AL in earned runs allowed, got two years and $22 million from Miami. The Houston Astros gave Charlie Morton a two-year, $14 million contract despite Morton making only four starts in 2016 before a hamstring injury ended his season. In light of those deals, the Pirates did well to retain Nova for $26 million guaranteed.
Nova has a career 4.30 ERA in 142 games, 129 of them starts, across seven seasons in the majors. After posting a 3.10 ERA in 2013, Nova required Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in ’14. In 38 appearances, 32 starts, with the Yankees after the surgery in 2015-16, Nova had a 4.99 ERA.
In 64⅔ innings across 11 starts with the Pirates last August and September, he had a 3.06 ERA, 52 strikeouts and an absurd three walks.
The Pirates saw a similar turnaround in 2015 with J.A. Happ after acquiring him from the Seattle Mariners. The Pirates did not re-sign him, and he signed for three years and $36 million in Toronto. He went 20-4 with a 3.18 ERA in 195 innings last season.
Happ was 33 at the time, while Nova is 29, and will make $10 million less in guaranteed money.
If the deal becomes complete, Nova will join Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon atop the rotation. Manager Clint Hurdle said at the winter meetings that while no one else was guaranteed a rotation spot, Chad Kuhl could have an inside track to one. This leaves a spring training competition between Tyler Glasnow, Steven Brault, Drew Hutchison and Trevor Williams for the fifth spot, unless the Pirates sign or trade for another starter.
ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that the Pirates are interested in acquiring lefty Jose Quintana from the Chicago White Sox, who initiated a rebuild by trading Chris Sale and Adam Eaton. But Quintana’s age, contract and production make him incredibly valuable and the White Sox would require multiple top prospects to trade him. If it happens, it would represent a departure from the way general manager Neal Huntington’s front office has operated.
Bill Brink: bbrink@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrinkPG.
First Published: December 22, 2016, 2:51 p.m.