Before the Pirates’ 2-1 loss Friday to the Philadelphia Phillies, Clint Hurdle compared Ivan Nova with A.J. Burnett. When Burnett joined the Pirates for the 2012 season, he hadn’t really been an ace before, playing “second fiddle,” as Hurdle put it, to other pitchers on previous squads. Yet the Pirates saw an opportunity for Burnett to lead the other pitchers on the team.
Similarly, Nova isn’t necessarily the staff ace, but he’s carved out a critical role for the Pirates this season. Last year marked his first season with at least 30 starts, and he doesn’t have to look over his shoulder and wonder whether he’ll have a spot in the rotation.