HOUSTON — He started two no-hitters last season, including one in the World Series. And on Friday, Astros fans got some good news – pitcher Cristian Javier is not going anywhere anytime soon.
The Astros announced they’ve agreed to a five-year extension for Javier that runs through the 2027 season.
Editor's note: Video above is Jason Bristol and Jeremy Booth talking about Javier's start in the World Series no-hitter against the Phillies.
“Cristian is an outstanding pitcher, so we are really excited about signing him to a long-term deal,” Astros new GM Dana Brown said in a release. “As a core piece of our rotation, we felt that he is the perfect candidate for this type of deal. This is in line with our vision to try to lock players up to sustain our success both now and in the future.”
Javier was dominant in 2022, starting a no-hitter against the Yankees in June, then doing the same in the World Series against the Phillies.
Last season, Javier was tops in Major League Baseball, allowing just a .170 batting average to opposing hitters. His 11.74 strikeouts-per-9 innings were second best in the Majors.
He got better as the season went on. In his final five regular season starts, Javier was 3-0 with an 0.32 ERA. It continued into the postseason, as Javier was 2-0 with an 0.71 ERA. That included the no-hitter, of which he pitched seven innings.
Javier was originally signed by Houston as a non-drafted free agent in 2015. He made his Major League debut in 2020.