Tigers Sign P Ivan Nova to One-Year Deal

Ivan Nova with Pirates in 2018. Photo by Brent Clark/CSM/REX/Shutterstock

The Detroit Tigers signed veteran starting pitching Ivan Nova to a one-year deal for the 2020 season, adding veteran experience to a young and unproven pitching staff.

Nova’s deal with the Tigers includes a guarantee of $1.5 million, and could reach over $2 million if he meets certain performance incentives.

This will be the Dominican righty’s fourth Major League team after previously spending time with the New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Chicago White Sox.

Once one of the top pitching prospects in the game, Nova has become a workhorse right handed pitcher, but not a star. Since making his debut in the 2010 season, he owns a 4.36 ERA in 223 Major League starts.

2019 was Nova’s only season with the White Sox, and he struggled on the South Side of Chicago. The ten-year veteran posted a 4.72 ERA in 34 starts, striking out only 5.5 batters per nine innings.

Despite his underwhelming recent seasons, the 33-year-old is a good bet for a team that is simply looking for some stability while it undergoes a painful rebuild and waits for its best pitching prospects to develop.

Nova will report to Tigers Spring Training to begin his career with the team next month.

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