Report: Yankees' Nova To Begin Rehab Assignment At Class A Tampa On Monday
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Ivan Nova may be back in Yankees pinstripes before you know it.
The 28-year-old right-hander, who has missed more than a year following Tommy John surgery, will reportedly begin his rehab assignment next week, and, depending on how he does, could rejoin the big club sooner rather than later.
"You know, I think it's really where we feel he's at after his starts," manager Joe Girardi told MLB.com recently. "I don't necessarily think that you'd say, once he starts his rehab, it's going to take 30 days. It may."
Nova's final steps back from @TommyJohn288 surgery. Minor league rehab start next week. https://t.co/Z3tNXMwCmx
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) June 5, 2015
Nova tore a ligament in his pitching elbow on April 19, 2014, during a game against Tampa Bay and had surgery 10 days later. Recovery time is normally 12 to 15 months.
He has thrown several extended spring training sessions and will likely be limited to 75 pitches when he takes the mound for Class A Tampa on Monday night, MLB.com reported.
Nova is 40-22 with a 4.20 ERA in 93 games, including 86 starts, in parts of five major league seasons and has a $3.3 million, one-year contract for this year, the same salary the pitcher earned in 2014. He is eligible for free agency after the 2016 season.