Cristian Javier

Cristian Javier

27-Year-Old PitcherSP
Houston Astros
Out
Injury Elbow
Est. Return 7/20/2025
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Javier posted career highs with 31 starts and 162 innings. However, his skills fell precipitously from the previous season. Most notably, Javier's slider wasn't nearly as effective, fueling a strikeout rate drop from 33.2 percent to 23.1 percent. His 3.44 BB/9 compared to a 3.15 BB/9 in 2022 suggests a decline in control, but Javier's BB% was nearly identical to the previous campaign. The reason is his BABIP last year was .272, 48 points higher than the .228 mark from 2022. The increase in base runners bumped up the plate appearance denominator in BB%. As a fly ball pitcher, a .272 BABIP is plausible; he was fortunate the prior season. Inconsistent release points rendered Javier's slider and four-seam fastball less dominant, but he showed signs of improvement down the stretch and into the postseason. The Astros are a smart organization, so Javier will probably make the needed adjustments. Still, expecting a rebound to 2022 levels is aggressive. Splitting the difference between the last two seasons is the sage approach. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season
From Preseason
#176
ADP
$Signed a five-year, $64 million contract extension with the Astros in February of 2023.
GM hoping for late July return
PHouston Astros
Elbow
October 3, 2024
Astros general manager Dana Brown said Thursday that Javier (elbow) is projected to return in late July of next season, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
It's an ambitious timeline considering Javier underwent Tommy John surgery in June. Any projected timetable at this stage of rehab is approximate, but it does appear Brown expects Javier to have a good shot to contribute shortly after the All-Star break next season.
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Pitching Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
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2023 MLB Game Log
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2022 MLB Game Log
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2021 MLB Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
81
Last 10 Games
81
Last 5 Games
77
How many pitches does Cristian Javier generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Cristian Javier generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-30%
BAA vs RHP
2024
 
 
-46%
BAA vs RHP
2023
 
 
-31%
BAA vs RHP
2022
 
 
-22%
BAA vs RHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .240 768 169 77 163 38 5 23
Since 2022vs Right .169 654 211 56 99 22 1 23
2024vs Left .306 74 10 11 19 6 0 3
2024vs Right .164 76 17 8 11 3 1 1
2023vs Left .273 372 69 35 90 21 4 12
2023vs Right .189 315 90 27 53 12 0 13
2022vs Left .189 322 90 31 54 11 1 8
2022vs Right .147 263 104 21 35 7 0 9
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-38%
ERA at Home
2024
 
 
-84%
ERA at Home
2023
 
 
-28%
ERA at Home
2022
 
 
-20%
ERA at Home
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 2.78 1.05 171.2 14 7 0 10.0 3.1 1.0
Since 2022Away 4.46 1.23 173.2 10 8 0 9.8 3.8 1.4
2024Home 1.93 1.14 28.0 3 0 0 7.4 3.9 0.6
2024Away 12.15 2.55 6.2 0 1 0 5.4 9.5 2.7
2023Home 3.71 1.21 68.0 5 2 0 9.4 2.8 0.9
2023Away 5.17 1.31 94.0 5 3 0 8.4 3.9 1.7
2022Home 2.26 0.89 75.2 6 5 0 11.4 3.2 1.2
2022Away 2.84 1.01 73.0 5 4 0 12.1 3.1 0.9
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Cristian Javier compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
1.42
 
K/9
7.0
 
BB/9
4.9
 
HR/9
1.0
 
Fastball
91.7 mph
 
ERA
3.89
 
WHIP
1.41
 
BABIP
.269
 
GB/FB
0.53
 
Left On Base
76.0%
 
Exit Velocity
81.0 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
4.5%
 
Spin Rate
2444 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
18.5%
 
Swinging Strike
10.5%
 
Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
After throwing only 101.1 innings in 2021, Javier started the year in the bullpen with the intention of conserving innings for the playoffs. The plan worked perfectly as Javier ended up starting 25 of his 30 appearances, compiling 148.2 frames before dominating in the postseason. Javier benefited from a fortunate 83.6% LOB mark and .228 BABIP. With a 26% groundball rate, his low 9.1% HR/FB mark came in handy. Javier's success wasn't just luck-driven as he posted a career high 24.3% K-BB%, the eighth best among pitchers with at least 140 innings. He used his four-seamer 60% of the time and a slider at a 28% clip. These are Javier's best pitches, but he mixes in a curve and changeup. He's due an ERA correction, but the kid gloves should be off with Javier working with no innings restrictions. Fly ball pitchers carry extra risk, but Javier's 33% strikeout rate limits concerns, so he warrants SP2/SP3 status.
Javier came into 2021 with some noise given his efforts during his rookie season, but 2021 was a bit all over the place. He opened the season in the rotation, and even tied a franchise record by striking out the first eight batters of a game in his third start. By the end of May, he was 3-1 with a 3.14 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and was holding hitters to a .171 average. Despite the success, the club decided to move him to the bullpen as Jake Odorizzi and Framber Valdez joined the rotation, and Javier's value plunged as he went on to win one game, save two others and run into issues with walks and homers out of the bullpen around plenty of strikeouts. Those issues carried over into the postseason as well. In all, he showed both what he is capable of when things are going right for him as well as how bad things can get when he struggles to locate his offerings. He is at his best when he is isn't overusing his fastball.
It's fairly easy to see that Javier overachieved as a rookie with a 5-2 record and 3.48 ERA over 12 appearances (10 starts) for the Astros. He served up 11 HR in 54.1 regular-season innings, and of course the estimators will ding him for all those long balls and a 86.2 LOB% (4.94 FIP, 4.86 xFIP, 4.43 SIERA). At age 23, Javier did not light up the radar gun with a four-seamer that averaged just 92.2 mph, but his slider was virtually unhittable. The right-hander threw 227 sliders during the regular season and allowed four hits, all singles, with 24 strikeouts. The changeup and curveball were distant third and fourth offerings, and the fact that Javier is currently mostly a fastball-slider pitcher leaves open a good deal of bullpen risk. Indeed the bullpen is where Javier spent the postseason. If the third pitch comes along, Javier could take off as the other pieces are there. Don't write off the possibility.
An international signee out of the Dominican Republic, Javier was added to the Astros 40-man roster, shielding him from the Rule 5 draft. The 6-foot-1 righthander features a fastball in the low 90s, touching 96. Not surprisingly considering the organization, what Javier's fastball lacks in velocity is made up for via high spin. He throws a curve and slider, both highly reliant on rotation. Javier's fate may depend on how well he develops his change-up, an offering better with less spin. With that effective pitch to combat lefthanders, Javier's long-term role is in the rotation with the bullpen as a fallback. Javier worked at three levels last season, finishing with a short stint at Triple-A Round Rock where he'll likely start the 2020 campaign. Javier has excelled at every level. If he impresses with the Express, he could get a look as a reliever later in the season as Houston often does with young arms.
More Fantasy News
Moved to 60-day IL
PHouston Astros
Elbow
June 16, 2024
The Astros transferred Javier (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Tommy John surgery scheduled
PHouston Astros
Elbow
June 4, 2024
Javier (forearm) is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery Thursday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Goes on IL for right forearm
PHouston Astros
Forearm
May 27, 2024
The Astros placed Javier on the 15-day injured list Monday due to right forearm discomfort.
ANALYSIS
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Dealing with forearm discomfort
PHouston Astros
Forearm
May 26, 2024
Javier is dealing with forearm discomfort and didn't throw his scheduled bullpen session Sunday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
ANALYSIS
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Shaky results in no-decision
PHouston Astros
May 22, 2024
Javier did not factor into the decision in Tuesday's win over the Angels, allowing four runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out one over four innings.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Losing rotation spot?
PHouston Astros
September 17, 2023
The Astros have yet to announce a starter for Wednesday's game against the Orioles, which would be Javier's typical turn through the rotation, per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.
ANALYSIS
Javier allowed two earned runs over five innings during his previous start but has a 6.99 ERA across his past 14 outings, dating back to June 21. The right-hander has been a staple of Houston's rotation over the past few years, but he's been unable to replicate the 3.05 ERA he posted from 2020-22 and could be at risk of losing his place in the rotation.
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