The Houston Astros got more bad news about their rotation on Tuesday when The Athletic and MLB.com reported that right-hander Cristian Javier will undergo Tommy John surgery on Thursday.
The elbow reconstruction procedure typically sidelines pitchers for at least a year. Orthopedist Keith Meister recommended the Tommy John operation for Javier, per The Athletic.
On Monday, reports emerged that right-hander Jose Urquidy might need Tommy John surgery, but Houston general manager Dana Brown said that Urquidy’s diagnosis remained uncertain.
The Astros’ rotation is also missing right-hander Luis Garcia, who could be back from 2023 Tommy John surgery after the All-Star break, and right-hander Lance McCullers Jr., who hasn’t pitched since 2022 due to right forearm issues.
Javier, 27, is 3-1 with a 3.89 ERA in seven starts this year. He last pitched on May 21 before landing on the injured list due to what was initially listed as forearm discomfort.
In five major league seasons, all with Houston, Javier is 33-18 with a 3.59 ERA in 116 games (82 starts). He also played a key role in the Astros’ route to the 2022 World Series championship, going 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA in three postseason games (two starts).
Javier pitched the first six innings of a combined no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the 2022 Fall Classic after pitching the first seven innings of a combined no-no against the New York Yankees on June 25 that year.
–Field Level Media