RADIO
Ivan Nova Looking To Duplicate First Half Success
7 years agoLast year was a tale of two halves for Ivan Nova. Prior to the All-Star break, the right-hander went 9-6 with a 3.21 ERA, continuing the success he had in 2016 after moving from the Yankees to the Pirates. His xFIP (4.17) indicated some regression was probable, and the decline came in the second half with a 2-8 record and a 5.83 ERA. Nova was also dramatically worse away from pitcher-friendly PNC Park. At home, he posted a 2.80 ERA in 74 innings and allowed only seven home runs. On the road, he had a 5.02 ERA in 113 innings and allowed 22 home runs. In total, Nova posted an 11-14 record with a respectable 4.14 ERA (4.19 xFIP) in 187 innings. He didn't provide much value in terms of strikeouts, as he fanned only 16.7% of the hitters he faced, the ninth-lowest rate among qualified pitchers. He did maintain a 4.6% walk rate, however, trailing only Jeff Samardzija and Clayton Kershaw. Nova is worth a flier in deeper leagues, but he's a risky bet given his home-road splits and issues with the home run ball.
