BRADENTON, Fla. -- Ivan Nova will be the Pirates' opening-day starting pitcher at Detroit on March 29. It is unclear whether he will remain with Pittsburgh through the entire season.
Following the offseason trades 2013 NL MVP Andrew McCutchen and former 19-game winner Gerrit Cole, Nova is a veteran on a team that has turned toward youth. Nova is owed $8.5 million in each of the next two seasons as part of a $26 million, three-year contract.
"I said it when I signed here, and I still feel this way -- this is place I want to be," Nova explained.