Yankees Set to Pay Ivan Nova $4.1 MM To Ride the Pine

The New York Yankees and 29-year old right-handed pitcher Ivan Nova have avoided arbitration by settling on a one-year deal worth $4.1 million dollars. 

According to The New York Post, the two sides agreed to a deal that was $100,000 below the midway settling point. Originally, Ivan Nova, a client of The Legacy Agency asked for $4.6 million in arbitration while the Yankees offered $3.8 million. The right hander can make the $100,000 back in performance bonuses should he reach them.

As it stands, Nova is sixth on the Yankees starting pitching depth chart, sliding in behind Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, Michael Pineda, Nathan Eovaldi and the veteran CC Sabathia.

That means when all the dust clears, Nova will be making $4.1 million dollars as the Yankees long reliever if all their arms remain healthy.

Now some may argue that given the hefty price tag that comes with pitchers nowadays, the $4.1 MM owed to Nova in 2016 would be considered a bargain – even as a sixth starter, but I’m not convinced.

Sure he still has an exceptional curveball and his sinker has shown signs of improvement, but where is the consistency?

Keep in mind Nova struggled mightily in 2015 after coming off Tommy John surgery, pitching to a 6-11 record with a 5.07 ERA in 17 starts. He was pitching so bad that the Yankees demoted him to the bullpen before Nathan Eovaldi went down with elbow inflation.

Now in his second year off tommy john surgery the right-handed sure does have a lot of prove.

The signing of Nova means the newly acquired Aroldis Chapman is the only remaining arbitration eligible player unsigned.