Anthony Gruppuso
The New York Yankees are going to be calling up Ivan Nova from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and he could make the start on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Nova did not make his scheduled start today for the Triple-A ball club which suggests that he will start for the major league club because there is no news of an injury.
With Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Nova started three games, pitching 17.2 innings, giving up 15 hits and four earned runs, while striking out 17. He was 2-0 and had an ERA of 2.04. These numbers are much better than what he posted for the Yankees, going 2-1 with a 5.16 ERA in six games pitched.
Because of a rainout on Tuesday, the Yankees do not have a scheduled starter for Sunday which brings more legitimacy to the claim of Nova starting. On April 27, Nova was put on the disabled list when an MRI revealed inflammation of his right triceps. He has not made a start for the big league club since.
If Nova can come back and be an effective starter, it would be a big boost to the club, especially with the way the team has been hitting lately. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games and have scored more than two runs only four times. That could put more pressure on a pitcher who desperately wants to be back in the show, and feels that he belongs there. However, Nova’s aloof demeanor seems to make him oblivious of these facts. He always says that he has pitched well in an outing, even if the simple stats prove otherwise.
