The Astros are leaning on Cristian Javier at a time when the rotation could use every bit of help it can get.
Houston has climbed into Saturday night with a firm grip on first place in the AL West, the only team in the division sitting above .500. The offense has done its part, with Triple Crown hopeful Yordan Alvarez leading the way. But the pitching staff still has a hole, and the front office did not patch it at the trade deadline.
Instead, the Astros are betting on internal answers. Javier is starting to look like one.
Per the Astros probables page at MLB.com, Houston named Javier as Sunday’s starter for the series finale against the San Diego Padres. That call comes after a stretch in which the right-hander has quietly started to round into form.
His season got off to a rough start, and his ERA is still hovering near 7.00. Then came a Grade 2 shoulder strain against the Colorado Rockies in early April, which knocked him off track even more. But over his last seven games, Javier has put up a 3.79 ERA and has turned in a few strong outings in a row.
Since coming back from a long stay on the injured list, Javier has made six appearances, with only two starts. The first start didn’t go well: he allowed three earned runs and walked three in three innings against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field almost a month ago. After that, he was sent back to the bullpen and responded with a clean outing against the Baltimore Orioles, striking out two without allowing a run.
He then worked five innings without giving up a run, striking out seven. After that scoreless stretch, Javier returned to the rotation against last year’s reigning world champions. The contact was there, but he managed to work through traffic and gave up three runs despite allowing seven hits.
Against the Blue Jays, the command the Astros have been chasing showed up. Javier didn’t issue a walk in six innings, which is exactly the kind of thing this staff needs right now.
If he can keep that going, Houston has a better chance of pairing him with Hunter Brown and Peter Lambert and getting the kind of rotation support that can matter when October arrives.
In Other News...
Carlos Correa's Return Just Created An Astros Dilemma
Carlos Correa is spending the weeks after his May ankle surgery in the sort of rehab phase that keeps the door cracked open for a late-2026 return to Houston. He has resumed on-field work and is moving back toward game shape, which naturally gets Astros fans thinking about a reunion with a familiar face who still knows how this place works.
But the fit is not nearly as simple as the sentiment. Houstons infield is already crowded, the designated hitter spot is spoken for, and the more pressing issue around the club is not another bat but a starting rotation that has struggled this season. Correas progress matters, but it also underscores the question the Astros will have to answer later: where, exactly, would he fit if and when he is ready? [Read more 🡒]
Cristian Javiers Return Comes With One Big Astros Concern
Cristian Javier is back on the mound for Houston after working his way back from a shoulder strain, and the Astros can at least feel better about one part of the picture. His fastball velocity has returned to about 92.9 mph, which suggests the right-hander is again throwing with the kind of arm strength the club had been waiting for as it navigates its current pitching issues.
The concern is what the fastball is doing once it leaves his hand. Even with some effectiveness still showing on his secondary pitches, hitters have had more success against the overall mix, and the pitch that used to set everything up has not looked quite the same. For an Astros rotation trying to steady itself, Javiers return matters, but so does the question of whether the stuff that made him such a tough at-bat can fully come back. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Suddenly Have A Post Break Slide They Cant Ignore
The Astros rough start to September only got a little more uncomfortable Wednesday night at Petco Park, where a 7-2 loss to the Padres extended a familiar theme from the past week. Daulton Varsho gave Houston an early lift with a two-run homer, but the offense faded from there while San Diego answered with power of its own and kept the Astros from building any real momentum.
Cristian Javier was back on the mound for just his third start since returning from injury, and the outing was encouraging only in the sense that he got through five innings. He still allowed four earned runs, which left Houston chasing the game after Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. delivered the kind of timely swings that have made the difference in close games. With a second straight series loss now on the books, the Astros are suddenly staring at a post-break slide they cannot afford to brush off. [Read more 🡒]