Pirates trade Nova to White Sox
The Chicago White Sox acquired pitcher Ivan Nova from the Pittsburgh Pirates for minor-league pitcher Yordi Rosario and international slot money, the teams announced Tuesday.
Pittsburgh will receive $500,000 of international slot money, according to Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports.
"Ivan is a quality individual who provides a veteran presence to our starting rotation and has shown the ability to consistently throw strikes," White Sox GM Rick Hahn said, according to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. "We’re excited what he brings to the organization both on the field and in the clubhouse."
The 31-year-old Nova will likely be expected to provide many of the innings that Chicago lost when James Shields became a free agent this offseason, while also adding some experience to the youthful White Sox rotation.
Projected 2019 rotation (2018 stats):
| PITCHER | AGE | IP | ERA | WHIP | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Rodon | 26 | 120.2 | 4.18 | 1.26 | 90 |
| Ivan Nova | 31 | 161 | 4.19 | 1.28 | 114 |
| Reynaldo Lopez | 24 | 188.2 | 3.91 | 1.27 | 151 |
| Lucas Giolito | 24 | 173.1 | 6.13 | 1.48 | 125 |
| Manny Banuelos | 27 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Nova started 29 games for the Pirates in 2018, fashioning a 9-9 record across 161 frames.
Over the course of his nine-year career, he's spent time with the Pirates and Yankees, winning 78 games while authoring a 4.26 ERA across 189 starts.
The right-hander is set to earn around $9 million in 2019 and is eligible for free agency at the end of the season.
Rosario, 19, tossed 26 1/3 innings in rookie ball last season, recording a 3.42 ERA and 1.37 WHIP.