Ivan Nova Blanks Braves In Final Rotation Bid, Andrew Miller Injured

The New York Yankees traveled out east across the state of Florida to Lake Buena Vista to take on Julio Teheran and the Atlanta Braves. 

In his final bid to make the starting rotation as the teams fifth starter, 29-year old right-hander Ivan Nova turned in his best performance of the spring, tossing six scoreless innings while striking out two, walking one and scattering just two hits.

Prior to today’s ballgame we learned that Bryan Mitchell was named to the Yankees Opening Day roster to pitch out of the bullpen while CC Sabathia was inching closer and closer to being named the Yankees number five starter, which meant the only logical roster spot for Ivan Nova was right beside Bryan Mitchell in the teams bullpen.

Related Story: Should Bryan Mitchell Be in the Yankees Starting Rotation?

However, after his dominant performance over the Braves this afternoon, it now seems as if Ivan Nova made skipper Joe Girardi‘s and pitching coach Larry Rothschild‘s pending decision before opening day even more difficult.

Do they name the veteran CC Sabathia their fifth starter after he turned in his best performance of the spring on Monday, or do they go with Ivan Nova after he rose to the occasion and blanked the Braves over six frames?

Time will certainly tell.

Thanks to a pair of RBIs from a triple off the bat of Billy Fleming and a single off the bat of Austin Romine in the top of the eighth inning off Alexi Ogando, the Yankees were able to cruise to a 2-0 victory.

But unfortunately both the Yankees victory and Ivan Nova’s final bid to make the Yankees starting rotation in spring training will be overshadowed by some bad news.

In the top of the seventh inning, Yankees closer Andrew Miller was struck on the right wrist by a comeback line drive. He immediately walked off the mound and threw his cap to the ground after exiting the field while holding his wrist.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman later announced that Miller has a bruised right wrist, and he is heading back to the Yankees Spring Training complex in Tampa for X-rays and a CT scan.

The Yankees bullpen power-trio was already put on hold for a month while Aroldis Chapman serves his 30-game suspension, but pending the results on Andrew Miller’s wrist, their debut might be pushed back even further.

Stay tuned.