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Cristian Javier is one of the best pitchers on one of the best pitching teams in baseball, the Houston Astros. Now, it looks like he will be with the team for a long time.
With an ERA of just 2.90, the Houston Astros had the best ERA of any team in the AL in the 2022 regular season. The Astros' staff also won more games than any other team, 106.
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"Laser focus from Cristian Javier." - Fox Sports: MLB
Young flamethrower Cristian Javier was a huge part of that. Javier is a 6-foot-1 right-handed pitcher from the Dominican Republic. The 2022 season was a breakout year for Javier.
Cristian Javier made 25 starts in 2022, 15 more than he had previously. With over 148 innings pitched this season, Javier compiled a record of 11-9 and finished with a very decent ERA of 2.54.
It seems as though Javier has risen to the challenge of the postseason and has been showing fans some of the best pitching of his career. After hurling 12.2 innings and registering an ERA of only 0.71, it is clear he is one of the Astros' best.
Last night, in Game 4 of the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Javier was firing on all cylinders. He went six innings without surrendering a hit, walked only a pair of Phillies and struck out nine.
Notably, the Astros are paying Javier pennies on the dollar compared to what they are shelling out for other starters like Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez.
"Cristian Javier received a $10,000 signing bonus to turn pro, as the great @TMacPhils noted on the #Phillies radio broadcast. Important context to an extraordinary story" - Jon Morosi
The Houston Astros were able to sign Javier at the beginning of the season for a mere $749,000 for one year. Since he was a rookie the previous season, the Astros were able to get away with a small contract. Javier originally turned pro with the Phillies for just $10,000 in 2020.
Cristian Javier combined with Astros bullpen for World Series no-hitter
Once Javier had thrown 97 pitches, Astros manager Dusty Baker finally made the decision to swap him out. Thankfully, the Astros bullpen was able to strike out five more Phillies before Ryan Pressly finished the game. Game 5 is Thursday night in Philadelphia. The series is now tied as both teams have two wins and will seek to get the edge soon.
