ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian: Give Vidal Nuno a chance

Vidal Nuno had a 2-5 record with a 5.42 ERA prior to coming to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a trade for Brandon McCarthy, who also left a lot to be desired with a 3-10 record and a 5.01 ERA with the D-backs.

It was a trade involving two struggling players, but ESPN baseball insider Tim Kurkjian says it’s too soon to chalk the deal up as a loss for the D-backs.

“I think it was worth a try for the Diamondbacks,” Kurkjian told Burns and Gambo Thursday on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM. “It’s a season you want to forget so why not try somebody a little bit younger and see how it goes.”

It certainly went well for the 26-year-old Nuno Tuesday night against the Miami Marlins when he only gave up three hits and had seven strikeouts in seven innings pitched. Kurkjian added that the D-backs needed youth, and given the way the team has performed this season, a roll of the dice was in order.

“You have to get younger, you have to get better if you’re the Diamondbacks,” Kurkjian said. “He’s a young pitcher so we’re going to give him the benefit of the doubt that he knows how to do this.”

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