Houston Astros General Manager Dana Brown got to work quickly as soon as he assumed his new position. Brown is coming from the Atlanta Braves, an organization known for getting young, talented players to sign team-friendly extensions. The hope was that he could bring that magic with him to Houston.
He didn't disappoint.
One of Brown's first moves was getting starter Cristian Javier to sign a five-year, $64 million deal that takes him through his age-30 season and through the 2027 MLB season.
It's a bargain deal for the Astros, who at the height of Javier's prime will be paying him just $21 million a deal.
At first glance, it is a classic extension that the Braves have become notorious for. Javier gets a $2 million signing bonus, then $3 million in 2023, $7 million in 2024, $10 million in 2025, and $21 million in the final two years.
The enticing upfront money is enough to get a player thinking about taking less down the line.
However, the deal is great for the Astros in the sense that it gives them financial flexibility. By getting a deal on Javier's prime seasons, it allows them the payroll to be able to add to the roster during those seasons without being bogged down by bloated starting pitching contracts.
This contract also paves the way for Houston to now look at other pieces to extend as they boast an incredible amount of young and elite depth on the roster.
On the flip side, Javier earned this extension. The Dominican made his MLB debut in 2020 when he threw 54.1 innings during the COVID-19 shortened season. In 2021 he saw his innings total increase 101.1 but his effectiveness didn't take a hit. Then, in 2022, he had his breakout season.
Javier pitched to a 2.54 ERA, a point better than any of his previous seasons, as well as a 0.948 WHIP over the course of 148.2 innings. Then, he made a name for himself on the national stage when he led the way and threw six hitless innings against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series. A game that would go on to become a combined no-hitter, just the second in World Series history.
At just 25 years old, Javier has quickly risen to stardom with the Astros. He has solidified himself as an integral part of the rotation and now Houston has locked the righty down on a team-friendly deal that also does right by the player.
Welcome to the Dana Brown era.
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