DUNEDIN, Fla. — Ivan Nova will start on opening day for the Pirates, manager Clint Hurdle said Wednesday, giving the 31-year-old righty the first opening-day assignment of his career.
The Pirates open against the Tigers in Detroit March 29. Jameson Taillon will start the home opener, April 2 against the Minnesota Twins.
“Nova’s the dean of the starting rotation,” Hurdle said. “He’s the guy from my vantage point and from [pitching coach] Ray’s [Searage] and from [general manager] Neal’s [Huntington]. We had the conversation. Give him the ball in Detroit and let him break open the season for us.”
Honored to get the ball for the home opener! Excited to see PNC and Yinz again soon! Couple more works of good work in Spring, and we’ll be heading north!
— Jameson Taillon (@JTaillon19) March 7, 2018
Nova had a 4.14 ERA in 187 innings for the Pirates last season. He started strong and struggled in the second half.
“He was excited,” Hurdle said. “It’s kind of cool to see when you get a guy in your over-30 club that’s got his first opening day opportunity. He’ll be ready.”
Is a honor for me to be the guy who take the ball for the first time this year!!!! It will be a great season for us and I want thanks the @Pirates @piratasbeisbol for this amazing opportunity!!! Thanks 🙏 #GodFirst #supernova #wegoallin
— Ivan Nova (@IvanNova47) March 7, 2018
Hurdle made the announcement after the Pirates’ 13-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on the road Wednesday. Nova did not make the trip and was not available for comment.
Taillon, 26, also started well last season before testicular cancer treatment cost him five weeks. He finished with a 4.44 ERA in 25 starts.
“Definitely an honor but not something I’m striving to go out and outperform other guys in spring training to get,” Taillon said.
Hurdle said of Taillon: “Then you want a guy that can go do something meaningful on the home opener, because it’s an exciting day that can hopefully play down to the adrenaline. If you want to pick somebody that’s dealt with more adversity than Taillon, I don’t know if you’ll find one. So the home opener, I don’t think that’s anything that’s going to rattle him right about now. He was excited about the opportunity to do it was well.”
The Pirates did not announce when Chad Kuhl or Trevor Williams will pitch. Joe Musgrove said Wednesday he expects to be ready to start the season, but his progression this spring has gone slower than that of other pitchers due to his workload in the playoffs last year and a minor sore shoulder.
Bill Brink: bbrink@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrinkPG.
First Published: March 7, 2018, 9:33 p.m.
