Cristian Javier’s latest turn in the Astros’ rotation ended almost as soon as it started Wednesday at Coors Field, where he motioned to the dugout while warming for the bottom of the second and was pulled from the game. He had thrown 20 pitches in the first inning, surrendered one run, and never made it back to the mound as Houston went on to drop the series finale 5-1 to the Rockies. For a staff already light on frontline arms, it was exactly the kind of short outing the Astros did not need.
The club announced that Javier exited with “shoulder tightness” after manager Joe Espada and an athletic trainer came to the mound during those warmup pitches. His fastball velocity was said to be roughly in line with his previous outings, but the Astros still shut it down quickly. Javier’s day ended after those 20 pitches and one run in the first, with AJ Blubaugh taking over in relief, according to the Houston Chronicle. For now, his status for upcoming turns in the rotation is up in the air as the team waits to see how the shoulder responds.
Rotation Strain Grows As Brown Remains Sidelined
Javier’s early exit piles on top of a problem that was already getting worse. The Astros had just placed ace Hunter Brown on the injured list with a Grade 2 shoulder strain, and the club had been weighing a six-man rotation to get through a 13-game stretch without an off day, per MLB Trade Rumors. That plan would have allowed Houston to keep Tatsuya Imai on a weekly schedule and potentially stretch long relievers Ryan Weiss, AJ Blubaugh or Kai-Wei Teng into starting roles if needed. Instead, Espada is staring at a short-term juggling act, trying to cover innings while keeping the rest of the staff from getting burned out.
What’s Next For Javier And The Astros
Javier only recently got back on the mound for Houston, returning from Tommy John surgery last August when the Astros activated him, according to MLB.com. His early work this season has not exactly eased any nerves. Before Wednesday’s abbreviated outing, he had been tagged for 12 runs in 8 1/3 innings over his first two starts, the Houston Chronicle reports. If this shoulder issue lingers, the Astros would likely lean on Triple-A options such as Spencer Arrighetti, Jason Alexander or Colton Gordon to patch the rotation. In the meantime, the loss in Denver only sharpened worries about how Houston will cover innings and protect its bullpen workload. For the full breakdown of the 5-1 defeat, ESPN has the game recap and box score.
