Houston Astros' pitcher Cristian Javier made just seven starts in 2024 before he suffered an elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery. The young pitcher spent the last year recovering from surgery before making his 2025 debut earlier this month.
Javier made his first start back from injury on Aug. 11 against the Boston Red Sox. The Astros young starter had a strong 2025 debut, pitching five inning and giving up two runs on three hits and two walks, and he struck out five batters.
Fast-forward three starts, and Javier found himself on the mound against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night after giving up six runs (four earned) over his last five innings pitched. However, Javier had everything working on Friday night.
Javier Delivers Reminder of What He's Capable Of
Javier took the mound on Friday night and delivered six shutout innings and didn't allow a hit. The young pitcher walked three batters and struck out six, and lowered his season ERA to 3.38.
"It’s the Javier we all know and love," third baseman Carlos Correa said (h/t MLB.com). "It’s hard, man, when you’re out for that long and coming back from injury. It’s tough, especially pitching. It’s such a lonely place right there on the mound. You could see the stuff is there. It was more of a command type of thing [that was lacking], and today he attacked the zone and he was lights out."
Correa may have been a trade deadline acquisition for the Astros, but he spent the first seven years of his career in Houston, and watched Javier for the first two years of his career.
Cristian Javier, Nasty 78mph Curveball. 😨 pic.twitter.com/cLpTWVEhgf
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 30, 2025
Javier has developed into one of the Astros' elite starting pitchers, when he's healthy. The starter has a career 3.59 ERA, and it drops to 2.68 in the postseason. Javier's outing on Friday night showed glimpses he may be returning to form.
"The ball was coming out hot," Astros manager Joe Espada said (h/t MLB.com). "He attacked the zone, [threw] a ton of strikes. The breaking ball still has some work to do there, but I think the way he competed, his demeanor on the mound -- he was aggressive, he was competing from pitch No. 1. That was a great job."
Javier threw six no-hit innings before he was pulled. The Astros' relievers couldn't complete the combined no-hitter, but that doesn't take away from Javier's incredible performance.
"I was focusing more on staying closed throughout my motion to home plate," Javier said (h/t MLB.com). "We worked a lot on my mechanics, and thank God that worked out today."
Cristian Javier against the Angels: 6 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, 85 pitches, 51 strikes, 36 swings, 9 whiffs, 84.2 mph average exit velocity, .080 xBA on 12 balls in play. Javier departs with a no-hitter intact. His ERA after five starts is 3.38.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) August 30, 2025
It certainly worked out, and it gave Astros' fans flashbacks to 2022, when Javier threw six no-hit innings against the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.
Javier pitched 12.2 innings that postseason and gave up just one run on two hits.
The Astros' finally have almost all their pitchers back healthy as the end of August approaches. Luis Garcia is the last to return, but then Houston will have Javier, McCullers, Spencer Arrighetti and Garcia all back.
"This is the time when we need these guys to turn the corner, and they are," Espada said (h/t MLB.com). "We’ve got to continue to help those guys, encourage them to attack the zone and have confidence in their stuff and confidence in their defense. We'll be all right."
The Astros hold a three game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West with 27 games remaining. Houston is as healthy as it's been all season, and ready to make its final postseason push for another run at a World Series championship.