Javier did not factor into the decision Sunday against the Athletics, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out a season-high eight over four innings.
Javier generated an impressive 21 whiffs while throwing 56 of his 90 pitches for strikes and set a season high by punching out eight. He kept the Athletics scoreless through four innings, but when he returned for the fifth, the right-hander allowed a leadoff single and a walk before Brian Serven launched a three-run homer that chased him from the game. Javier has not seen much improvement since returning to the rotation, posting a 5.68 ERA with a 0-3 record across four starts. He owns an inflated 6.47 ERA, 1.66 WHIP and 38:19 K:BB across 40.1 innings this season and is slated to face the Mets on the road Saturday.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Falls to Angels
Rotowire
Javier (1-4) allowed two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five over four innings to take the loss versus the Angels on Tuesday.
Javier was skipped the last time through the rotation. He has now lost three straight starts, allowing nine runs, including four home runs, over 15 innings in that span. He's at a 6.44 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and 30:17 K:BB across 36.1 innings through 11 appearances (seven starts) on the year. Considering the Astros are on shaky ground -- they lead the AL West despite a 63-63 record -- Javier's spot in the rotation is far from secure. He's tentatively projected to make his next appearance at home versus the Athletics.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Slotting back into rotation Tuesday
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Javier will start Tuesday's game against the Angels in Houston, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Javier will be making his third consecutive start but will take the hill for the first time since Aug. 9, as the Astros were able to get by with a four-man rotation during a six-game slate last week. Over his prior two starts, Javier surrendered seven earned runs on 15 hits and one walk across 11 innings, so his spot in the rotation could be on shaky ground if he's unable to come through with an improved performance Tuesday.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Yields two homers in loss
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Javier (1-3) allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out two over five innings to take the loss Sunday versus the Padres.
Javier threw 62 of 86 pitches for strikes, but he was a little too hittable on some occasions. Fernando Tatis' three-run blast in the fourth inning was the difference, and Jackson Merrill had a solo shot in the second. Javier has allowed seven runs over 11 innings in his last two starts after pitching five scoreless innings in relief against the Angels on July 27. Javier has a 6.68 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and 25:16 K:BB through 10 outings (six starts) this season. Assuming he stays in the rotation, he's tentatively projected to make his next appearance at home versus the Mariners.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Getting another start Sunday
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Javier will start Sunday's game against the Padres in San Diego, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
After making two straight appearances out of the bullpen in late July, Javier moved back into the rotation this past Monday. He took the loss against Toronto but pitched relatively well, giving up three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and no walks over a season-high six innings. That was good enough for Houston to award him another start, and he'll go up against a Padres club that has scored the fifth-most runs in the league since the All-Star break.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Suffers second loss
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Javier (1-2) took the loss Monday, allowing three runs on seven hits and no walks over six innings against Toronto. He struck out two.
After mostly working out of the bullpen since returning from a right shoulder strain in early July, Javier drew the start Monday and recorded a quality start, though a lack of run support saddled him with the loss. On the year, the 29-year-old owns a 6.59 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and 23:15 K:BB across 27.1 innings (nine outings, five starts). Should Javier remain in the rotation, he's lined up to take the mound Sunday against San Diego.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Works out of bullpen Sunday
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Javier struck out two and gave up a double over a scoreless inning of relief in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Orioles.
Javier made a three-inning start against the Rangers in the Astros' final game of the first half July 12, but he's moved back to the bullpen coming out of the All-Star break. Houston could hand Javier a starting role at some point later on this season, but the club won't have room for him for the foreseeable future with Ronel Blanco (elbow) set to fill the fifth spot in the rotation when he comes off the 60-day injured list Monday.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Activated from IL
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The Astros activated Javier (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list Friday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Javier will work out of Houston's bullpen after missing the past three months with a shoulder strain. The right-hander operated as a starter during his rehab assignment, but the Astros are going to use the veteran out of the bullpen, at least initially. Manager Joe Espada said it's not necessarily a permanent move.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Moving to bullpen
Rotowire
Astros manager Joe Espada said that Javier (shoulder) will be activated from the 60-day injured list Friday and work out of the bullpen, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Before landing on the IL on April 10 due to a Grade 2 shoulder strain, Javier struggled over his three starts with Houston, coughing up 13 earned runs while striking out four batters and walking nine in 9.1 innings. Javier had been building up a starter during his rehab assignment and most recently tossed six shutout innings for Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday, but the Astros won't open up a spot for him in their crowded rotation. Espada noted that Javier's move to the bullpen isn't necessarily permanent, though it may take an injury to or poor performance by another starter before the 29-year-old righty receives another look in the rotation.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Hits 75 pitches in rehab start
Rotowire
Javier (shoulder) struck out five and allowed three earned runs on five hits and three walks across 4.2 innings Sunday in his rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land.
Javier's control wasn't on point during Sunday's start -- the fourth of his rehab assignment -- but he was able to build up to 75 pitches (43 strikes) and looks ready to return from the 60-day injured list from a workload standpoint. He'll presumably join the Astros on their road trip this week and throw a bullpen session Tuesday or Wednesday before likely slotting back into the big-league rotation this weekend in Detroit. Javier, who has been on the shelf since April 10 due to a Grade 2 right shoulder strain, posted a 6.17 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and 16:6 K:BB in 11.2 innings over his four starts between Sugar Land and Double-A Corpus Christi.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Underwhelms in first rehab start
Rotowire
Javier (shoulder) recorded two outs -- both via strikeout -- and was charged with two earned runs on two hits and two walks in a rehab start Wednesday with Double-A Corpus Christi.
Javier made his first appearance at any level in nearly two months, as he's been on the Astros' injured list since April 10 due to a Grade 2 right shoulder strain. Given the long layoff, some rust was to be expected from the right-hander during the rehab outing, but he still fell short of the Astros' goal of reaching at least two innings and 30-to-35 pitches, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Javier needed 28 pitches just to generate two outs, though on a positive note, his fastball velocity sat around his pre-injury levels at 92-to-93 mph during the outing, per Javier Gonzalez of PelotaCubanaUSA.com. The 29-year-old will probably require at least three more rehab starts to build up his pitch count and re-emerge as a viable option for the Houston rotation.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Starting rehab stint
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Javier (shoulder) will report to Double-A Corpus Christi on Wednesday to begin a rehab assignment, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
The right-hander landed on the injured list in mid-April due to a Grade 2 shoulder strain, but he's ramped up his throwing program over the past few weeks and is now ready for game action. Javier will likely require a few starts in the minors before being cleared to rejoin the Astros.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Nearing rehab assignment
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The next step in Javier's (shoulder) throwing progression will be a minor-league rehab start, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Javier has been sidelined due to a Grade 2 right shoulder strain since early April, and he currently resides on the 60-day IL. The right-hander tossed live batting practice Friday, and that apparently went well enough for the organization to decide that he's ready for game action. Javier will likely need multiple minor-league outings before he's activated, but a return to the big-league club before the end of June seems possible.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Slated for live BP
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Javier (shoulder) is scheduled to throw a live batting practice session Friday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Javier is ready to take the next step in his recovery from a Grade 2 right shoulder strain that landed him on the injured list in mid-April. He'll continue to throw bullpen sessions and live batting practices until he's progressed enough to embark on a rehab assignment. The expectation is that Javier will need multiple starts in the minors, so he may not be ready to be activated from the IL until early July.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Ready to start throwing
Rotowire
The Astros announced Monday that Javier (shoulder) will begin a throwing progression this week, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Javier had been shut down from throwing since landing on the shelf April 10 with a Grade 2 shoulder strain. Fellow starter Hunter Brown was placed on the injured list with the same injury April 7, but he appears to be much further along in the recovery process, as he's been able to throw off flat ground out to 120 feet and could throw his first bullpen session later this week. Given that general manager Dana Brown recently said that the Astros are hoping to get Brown back from the IL around early to mid-June, it's fair to expect Javier's absence to stretch into the latter half of June, if not July.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Bound for 60-day IL
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The Astros transferred Javier (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.
Javier's initial placement on the 15-day IL was retroactive to April 9, so his move to the 60-day IL ensures that he'll be on the shelf through at least the first week of June while he recovers from a Grade 2 right shoulder strain. Given the length of his absence along with his poor numbers prior to landing on the shelf (12.54 ERA, 2.36 WHIP and 4:9 K:BB in 9.1 innings over three starts), Javier likely won't be worth holding in the majority of fantasy leagues.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Out through late May
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Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that Javier (shoulder) isn't expected to return from the 15-day injured list until late May or early June, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. "Hopefully it could be a little sooner."
Hunter Brown is facing a similar timeline for a return after he was diagnosed with a Grade 2 right shoulder strain April 5 before Javier went down with the exact same injury in his start three days later. Javier remains in the midst of a no-throw program and is expected to be re-evaluated later on during the upcoming week before the Astros decide on his next steps. Even if Javier gets the green light to start playing catch following his re-evaluation, he looks like he'll require at least a month to get fully stretched back out. A more definitive target date for Javier's return won't become clear until he's ready to head out on what will likely be a multi-start minor-league rehab assignment.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Leaves outing with shoulder injury
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Javier was lifted from Wednesday's start in Colorado after just one inning due to right shoulder tightness, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
AJ Blubaugh was warming in the Astros' bullpen before Javier even took the field before the second inning, so it seems the club knew something was off. Javier then threw a warm-up pitch, motioned to the dugout and eventually exited, with Blubaugh entering the game. If Javier needs to go on the injured list, Blubaugh is a candidate to absorb his rotation spot.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Ineffective in no-decision
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Javier took a no-decision Saturday against the Angels, allowing six runs on four hits and four walks in 4.2 innings. He struck out one.
The right-hander's command was spotty at best in his season debut, as he tossed 41 of his 74 pitches for strikes and also served up a pair of home runs. Javier had a delayed start to last year due to his recovery from Tommy John surgery, and it appears initially in 2026 that he still has some more rust to knock off after posting a 4.62 ERA through eight regular-season starts in 2025. Javier will be tough to trust in fantasy lineups in his next scheduled matchup at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park versus the Athletics.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Excels in second spring start
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Javier struck out five and allowed two hits and one walk over four scoreless innings Sunday in the Astros' 1-0 win over the Marlins in Grapefruit League play.
Taking the hill for his second start of spring training, Javier built up to 56 pitches, spotting 38 of them for strikes while generating 11 whiffs. The right-hander's fastball averaged 92.3 miles per hour on the afternoon, a half tick behind his average from the 2025 season and about a half tick up from the 91.7 mph he averaged during his first start back on March 9, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Javier is expected to make one final Grapefruit League start during the upcoming week before making his first turn of the regular season in the Astros' four-game home series versus the Angels at the end of the month.
