Ivan Nova Gaining Trade Interest?

While the talk of the town has undoubtedly surrounded the Yankees and their decision to put Brett Gardner on the trade block, a different player in pinstripes is starting to draw some trade interest.

According to George King III of the New York Post, both the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds are interested in 28-year old right hander Ivan Nova.

However, it’s important to note that the level of interest remains unclear, and in my opinion, it’s probably minimal.

Last month the White Sox were eyeing both Ivan Nova and Oakland A’s right hander Jesse Chavez, but when Billy Beane dealt Chavez to the Toronto Blue Jays, the White Sox interest in Ivan Nova didn’t increase in the slightest bit.

According to King;

"“While the White Sox are hunting for a right-handed starter, they haven’t been banging on the Yankees’ door. That could change beginning Monday when the Winter Meetings commence in Nashville, Tenn.”"

In the events leading up to the MLB Trade Deadline this past July, reports leaked that the Yankees and Reds were discussing a possible trade involving both Johnny Cueto and Ivan Nova, but the Reds eventually shipped Cueto to the World Series winning Kansas City Royals. This could mean one of two things – either the Reds were looking for additional prospects who the Yankees didn’t want to part ways with or maybe they actually really do covet Ivan Nova. My money is on the former rather than the latter, but I guess we’ll find during the MLB Winter Meetings.

The tricky part for the Yankees is that they’re marketing Nova as a major league asset who still has upside after undergoing tommy john surgery. Unfortunately, after pitching to a 5.11 ERA in 14 starts before being pulled from the starting rotation on September 16, his numbers don’t really back that up. Also, Nova is set to become a free agent next winter and is set to earn $4.5 MM this upcoming season, which doesn’t exactly make him more attractable.

The Yankees are looking for young, controllable starting pitching, so it’s almost ludicrous to expect a major league club to part ways with a decent young arm in exchange for one year of control over an unproven 28-year old coming off tommy john surgery.

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