The Pittsburgh Pirates have placed starting pitcher Ivan Nova on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained ring finger on his right hand.
Nova has struggled in May following a solid start. He is 0-4 with a 7.61 ERA this month. The Pirates diagnosed the injury after Nova gave up five runs, four earned, in a loss to Cincinnati last Thursday. Director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk says he expects 10 days being enough time for Nova to recover.
"It's a minor irritation to his ring finger, the ligament," Tomczyk said. "To put him in the best position short term and long term, as a group we felt it was best for him to take the 10 days."
Since last season's All-star break, Nova is 4-13 with 5.48 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 24 home runs allowed in 24 starts.
Kingham's start will be his fourth in the majors, all coming this season. He's 2-1 with a 3.44 ERA and sparkling 0.76 WHIP.
"I just want to be consistent with all my pitches, have command with the fastball," said Kingham, who arrived in Pittsburgh on Sunday evening. "Everything works off (the fastball command) – establish that early in the game, let everything work off of that and just be consistent with my pitches whatever the situation might be in."
"I feel like I am pretty easygoing," Kingham said. "I am not a slave to routine, so I kind of can bounce around and make adjustments on the fly. So I am feeling good about it."
As the current No. 6 starter in the organization and a player eager to finally make an impact at the major-league level, Kingham is not going to complain and adjust accordingly.
"You never know where you are going to be," he said. "Pack for whatever at all times; things happen, people get hurt, things happen. So you just kind of have to be prepared…
"I am glad I can come here and help the guys so anything can happen, you can't look too far into the future, just take it as it goes, take it one step at a time, one day at a time."
