Houston Astros News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Aug 29, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Cristian Javier (53) pitches against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning at Daikin Park. Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

What Cristian Javier's Big Start Means for the Astros Starting Rotation

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Kyle Morton | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Injuries have plagued the Houston Astros' pitching staff for the better part of this decade, but the severity and frequency of them have really gone up a level in the past year. Many key contributors to the staff have exited, re-entered and re-exited the rotation or bullpen.

But arguably the most impactful pitcher who has been sidelined for the long haul was Cristian Javier, and after putting up mixed results in his first appearances back from the injured list earlier this month, he finally found his form as an ace-caliber pitcher in a tight 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

Javier took the ball and fired six no-hit innings that saw him surrender three walks and generate six strikeouts. In the process, he lowered his ERA for his brief season down to 3.37. The Astros needed every single zero Javier hung on the scoreboard, as they didn't break through offensively until the bottom of the seventh, adding an insurance run in the eighth.

Javier didn't get the win for his efforts, but he allowed Houston to expand its lead in the American League West division to three games over the Seattle Mariners, who blew a 4-0 lead late to lose 5-4 to the Cleveland Guardians.

In-Form Cristian Javier Could Make Astros Real World Series Contenders

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The plan for Houston this season was always to get by in terms of its starting rotation with Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez and a rotating cast of fill-ins until reinforcements returned from the injured list. Whether those reinforcements included all or some combination of Lance McCullers Jr., Javier, Luis Garcia, Spencer Arrighetti and Hayden Wesneski would depend on recovery timeframes, but that was the plan.

A season-ending injury to Ronel Blanco complicated matters, as did spotty performances from McCullers Jr. and Javier, along with the slow-paced return for Garcia, but the team's brass never really deviated from this idea, as they added several hitters at the July 31 MLB trade deadline but no starting pitching options.

If Javier is truly back to himself, the calculus changes in a big way. The Astros had a rough August, largely because Valdez faltered along with the less-steady parts of the rotation. Valdez's track record is long enough to trust that he'll round back into form by the time October rolls around.

The third starter in the playoff rotation was going to be a big question if none of those returning from injury laid claim to it, with a depth player like Jason Alexander looking more and more like a realistic option as he continues to string together quality outings.

But Javier is a different level of starter than the rest of this group. He has a career 3.59 ERA that's inflated by an uncharacteristically rough 2023. When the team won the World Series in 2022, he made 25 starts and finished with a 2.54 ERA in the regular season before posting a 0.71 ERA across three playoff appearances throughout the run.

When he's right, he's one of the very best playoff performers among all of the game's starting pitchers. One great start is not enough to fully determine that he'll be ready to shoulder that burden again this year, but it's a data point that should have Houston's management team and fans alike very excited about the possibility that he can make them a legitimate contender to win it all.

This article first appeared on Houston Astros on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: