Yankees Say Ivan Nova's Rusty Curveball Means One More Minor League Rehab Start
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- He's ready, sort of.
The Yankees are soon going to have a logjam of starting pitchers. Exactly when that's going to be the case isn't set in stone.
Ivan Nova, fresh off two successful rehab outings as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, will pitch once more in the minors on Friday, for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, WFAN's Sweeny Murti reported Tuesday.
"We just feel that he is finished off (the rehab). It's not something easy to make an adjustment if we said, 'We wished we would have had one more start,' " manager Joe Girardi told the New York Post prior to the Yankees' 2-1 loss in Miami on Monday. "We talked about it for a couple of days and it would be better to know he is ready to go.''
It appears Nova's command of his curveball is what has temporarily delayed his return to the Yankees. All his other pitches seem to be working fine, but the breaking ball has lacked bite and it's no secret the veteran right-hander uses that pitch religiously.
Nova was solid for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Rochester on Saturday night, allowing five hits while walking one and striking out three in six innings.
"His fastball was good, his changeup was good,'' Girardi said of Nova, who last pitched for the Yankees on April 19, 2014. "The curveball wasn't as sharp as we have seen it. It might have just been the day. For us, we have waited a long time, and to give him one more start you make sure he is ready (for the big leagues).''
When Nova returns, the Yankees will have to send one of their starters to the bullpen. Odds are, that starter will be Adam Warren, and not because he hasn't pitched well as a member of the rotation. Warren is 4-4 with a 3.78 ERA in 12 starts, but has plenty of experience as a reliever. That is something the Yankees need, especially from the right side now that Dellin Betances has been pushed into the closer's role due to the injury to Andrew Miller.
When Nova returns, the Yankees will still only have two sure things in their rotation, Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda. CC Sabathia, Nathan Eovaldi and Nova will remain works in progress, which is likely the reason why the Bombers recently scouted Cincinnati Reds right-handers Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake. Both are scheduled to be free agents at season's end and could be targeted at the trade deadline by many clubs looking to bolster their rotations for the stretch run.
