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BALTIMORE, MD - JUNE 04: Ivan Nova #47 of the New York Yankees pitches against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 4, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

What happened to Ivan Nova?

What in the world happened to Ivan Nova? A month ago, people were singing his praises after a string of wins and an impressive ERA. It appeared he was going to play an integral part in salvaging the Yankees’ season. In a previous article, I referred to him as one of the biggest surprises of this season, and a highlight in an up-and-down rotation.

So what happened? We all know the first part; after CC Sabathia and Luis Severino were placed on the disabled list, Ivan Nova was given a rotation spot. The initial results were promising, with Nova going 3-0 with a 1.65 ERA. One of the keys to Nova’s early success was limiting base runners, and making pitches, an approach which didn’t exactly pad the pitching stats, but put W’s in the win column.

That approach also suggests why things have gone so poorly as of late. When Nova stopped making the pitches, he gets into trouble, especially because he’s considered to be a two-pitch starter. Nova already has 5 wild pitches, matching his total from last year, and the third highest amount of his career. For those of you scoring at home, that’s not good for a pitcher who came into the rotation late and hasn’t even made it to the All-Star break.

Nova’s FIP of 4.97, a stat which measures his pitching independent of the defense behind him, is considered, categorically, awful. And so you’re left with a pitcher who gets rocked by a team like the Rockies (no pun intended), and once again the Yankees are left with a pitcher who seems incapable of producing a good start every fifth game. Are you starting to see a pattern?

This all just about sums up the 2016 Yankees season. Robotic historians will undoubtedly look back on this season as one marked by inconsistency. From hitters, to defense, to pitching, to management, nothing about the Yankees seems to remain consistent, except their inconsistency and mediocrity.

The Yankees would be best served by trading Ivan Nova and trying to find a more long term option. It appears Luis Severino has regained some of his confidence, going 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA in four Triple-A starts. Allowing Severino back into the rotation would allow the Yankees the opportunity to continue grooming a young talent, while getting a middle-level prospect for Nova in a trade (assuming of course they don’t deal Nova to any teams in the AL East).

It’s unfortunate to see a pitcher like Ivan Nova perform so poorly in a contract year. But Nova’s Yankee tenure has been marked by frustration and inconsistency. Some may even be surprised he lasted this long. It would be in the Yankees best interest to remove Nova from the rotation, or to trade him for someone with more long term promise. If this season has taught us anything, it’s that the Yankees need to become more adept at giving up on talent when it stops producing.