Cristian Javier

28-Year-Old PitcherSP

Houston Astros

15-Day IL

Injury Elbow

Est. Return 7/20/2025

2025 Stats

W-L

0-0

ERA

0.00

WHIP

0.00

Rest-of-Season Projections

W-L

ERA

WHIP

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2025 Fantasy Outlook

Javier made just seven starts in 2024 before requiring Tommy John surgery, which will sideline him for at least the first half of 2025. Astros GM Dana Brown expressed optimism for a return in late July, but the right-hander has a significant way to go in his recovery. Javier had a 3.89 ERA and 27:19 K:BB over 34.2 innings prior to the injury, though those results may have been affected by the injury. He'll likely have a limited workload if he can return in 2025, so fantasy managers are better off targeting 2026 for Javier. Read Past Outlooks

RANKS

Rest of Season

From Preseason

#371

ADP

League Majors

Bats R

Throws R

40 Man Yes

Height 6'1"

Weight 210

DOB 3/26/1997

Born Santo Domingo, DR

College None

Drafted 2015 HOU

IL move made official

PHouston Astros

Elbow

March 27, 2025

The Astros placed Javier (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

ANALYSIS
Javier is not expected to be ready to make his 2025 debut until the second half of the season while he recovers from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent June 6 of last yaer. He's a candidate to eventually shift to the 60-day IL if/when the Astros need to free a 40-man roster spot.

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Pitching Stats

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2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2025 MLB Game Log

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2024 MLB Game Log

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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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2020 MLB Game Log

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Minor League Game Log

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Left/Right Pitching Splits

Since 2023

-34%

BAA vs RHP

2025

No Stats

2024

-46%

BAA vs RHP

2023

-31%

BAA vs RHP

	BAA	Batters	K	BB	H	2B	3B	HR
Since 2023vs Left	.278	446	79	46	109	27	4	15
Since 2023vs Right	.184	391	107	35	64	15	1	14
2025vs Left	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2025vs Right	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
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
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Home/Away Pitching Splits

Since 2023

-43%

ERA at Home

2025

No Stats

2024

-84%

ERA at Home

2023

-28%

ERA at Home

	ERA	WHIP	IP	W	L	SV	K/9	BB/9	HR/9
Since 2023Home	3.19	1.19	96.0	8	2	0	8.8	3.1	0.8
Since 2023Away	5.63	1.39	100.2	5	4	0	8.2	4.3	1.8
2025Home	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2025Away	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
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
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Prospect Rankings History

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Defensive Stats

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Stats Vs Today's Lineup

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Past Fantasy Outlooks

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

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.

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

Targeting post-break return

PHouston Astros

Elbow

January 26, 2025

Javier (elbow) said during an Astros FanFest event Saturday that he's targeting to return from the injured list after the All-Star break, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.

ANALYSIS
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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