Cristian Javier was activated off the IL Friday ahead of the series opener against the Rays. He has been out since April 9 with a Grade 2 right shoulder strain. But he is not coming back as a starter. Javier will be joining the bullpen.
Javier has been a mainstay in the Astros rotation since 2022. He is best known for his dominant 2022 season where he was one of the best pitchers in baseball. He was the starter in two combined no-hitters that season, including Game 4 of the World Series. He has been plagued by injuries since, undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024 and missing most of 2025.
Javier made just three starts to begin 2026 before going on the IL April 9. He struggled badly in those starts before going down. He made several minor league rehab outings before being cleared to return.
Javier will be working out of the bullpen rather than rejoining the rotation, at least for now. Javier actually started his career as a reliever, so this is not entirely new territory for him. We should see Javier as a starter again at some point.
This is a big boost for an already excellent bullpen. With Hader closing, adding Javier gives Espada another experienced arm in high leverage situations.
It has been a long road back for Javier. But he is back and the Astros are better for it. This is exactly the kind of depth boost this team needs heading into the second half.
