BRADENTON, Fla. — Ivan Nova, the Pirates' best starting pitcher for much of the first half of 2017, will take the mound for the club against the Tigers for opening day March 29 in Detroit, Clint Hurdle announced Wednesday.
Additionally, Jameson Taillon was named the Pirates' starting pitcher for the home opener at PNC Park on April 2 against the Minnesota Twins. The announcement did not come as much of a surprise; however, it is the first clear sign which two pitchers are atop the rotation with Gerrit Cole gone.
“Nova’s the dean of the starting rotation,” Hurdle told reporters following the Pirates' 13-4 loss to the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla. “He’s the guy from my vantage point and from (pitching coach) Ray’s (Searage) and from (Neal Huntington's). We had the conversation. Give him the ball in Detroit and let him break open the season for us.”
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
The opening day assignment is the first of Nova's eight-year career, and the 31-year-old had a 4.14 ERA, 1.278 WHIP and 131 strikeouts to 36 walks in a career-high 31 starts in 2017.
After posting a 3.21 ERA in 18 starts before the All-Star break, Nova had a 5.83 ERA in his final 13 starts. Opponents batted .316 against him during that span, and his ground-ball rate plummeted six percent while his home run-to-fly-ball ratio rose six percent.
Most of Nova’s eight years of major-league experience were spent bouncing back and forth between the bullpen and rotation in New York. The Yankees used Nova as a long reliever at the start of 2016, but he returned to the rotation for 15 starts before he was traded to the Pirates in August 2016.
Nova had a 1.09 WHIP with 52 strikeouts to three walks in 11 starts with the Pirates to finish the season. He then signed a three-year contract extension with the club last offseason and is now one of just seven players over the age of 30 on the 40-man roster.
Inflammation in his left knee led to his second-half struggles in 2017, and as a result, Nova dedicated his offseason to better prepare himself to make 30-plus starts.
Taillon, 26, was drafted second overall by the Pirates in 2010, but did not make his major league debut until June 2016. The right-hander reached Triple-A in his third professional season, but he missed the 2014 and 2015 seasons after Tommy John and hernia surgeries.
He returned to the mound in 2016 and finally reached the major leagues, recording a 1.11 WHIP in 18 starts with the Pirates after he was recalled. But he also missed time because he was struck in the head by a 105 mph comebacker.
Taillon made the opening day roster last spring, but again, he faced adversity. He underwent surgery to remove his left testicle last May and the biopsy revealed he had testicular cancer. But he returned five weeks later and made 25 starts in his first full professional season. Although Taillon struggled in the second half of the season — a 5.96 ERA in 14 starts following the All-Star break — he finished with a 4.44 ERA.
"If you want to pick somebody that’s dealt with more adversity than Taillon, I don’t know if you’ll find one," Hurdle said. "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 as well.”
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
The timing isn't unusual for Hurdle. He typically announces the opening day starter midway through spring training. But he places an equal emphasis on picking the starter for the home opener. Cole started opening day last season in Boston and Nova was given the nod for the home opener against the Braves four days later.
Then, Cole and Nova started games on consecutive days for much of the season. The same is likely to happen with Nova and Taillon this season, followed by Trevor Williams, Chad Kuhl and Joe Musgrove, who told reporters Wednesday he expects his sore shoulder won't prevent him from being ready for the start of the season.
GAME NOTES
• Tyler Glasnow's spring woes continued Wednesday, as the right-hander allowed six earned runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays. The 24-year-old is expected to begin the season in the Pirates' bullpen, but that spot could be in jeopardy because of his ongoing issues with command.
He now has a 11.74 ERA and 1.96 WHIP in 7 2/3 innings this spring. Although he has 13 strikeouts to three walks, opponents are batting .343 against him.
• Michael Feliz, a right-handed relief pitcher acquired in the Cole trade, and Clay Holmes both allowed three earned runs. Feliz, 25, allowed solo home runs to Russell Martin, Roemon Fields and Curtis Granderson.
• Josh Bell and Ryan Lavarnway both hit home runs for the Pirates, who had only five hits against the Blue Jays' seven pitchers.
• Here's Hurdles' lineup card for the now 3-7 Pirates:
1. Adam Frazier, 2B
2. Christopher Bostick, CF
3. Gregory Polanco, RF
4. Josh Bell, 1B
5. Colin Moran, 3B
6. Jordan Luplow, LF
7. Elias Diaz, C
8. Max Moroff, SS
9. Tyler Glasnow, P
• The Pirates will host the Tigers on Thursday at LECOM Park with first pitch at 1:05 p.m. Nick Kingham is expected to start with Felipe Rivero, George Kontos, Edgar Santana, Kyle Crick and Jack Leathersich in relief. The game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet.