The Houston Astros are not going to be in the most enviable of positions over the next month. They are set to play 33 games in 34 days, the most grueling section of their schedule this year. Meanwhile, there are issues with the effectiveness of their rotation, putting a strain on their bullpen.
This is something that the Astros are aware of as well. They are moving to a six man rotation during this upcoming stretch, with Cristian Javier heading back into a starting role.
Houston Astros may have permanent fix for rotation
It is a role that Javier is quite familiar with. He has shuffled between the Astros’ rotation and bullpen before, most notably in 2021. Javier made nine starts amongst his 36 appearances last season, pitching in 101.1 innings in total.
This move could be permanent, at least as far as Javier is concerned. He has gotten off to a dominant start to the season, allowing just five hits and a walk over 8.1 shutout innings, striking out 12 batters. That is certainly the type of performance that the Astros could use in their rotation.
Meanwhile, Houston has a pair of sore spots. Jake Odorizzi and Jose Urquidy have struggled, making it fair to wonder if either pitcher will be able to retain their spots in the rotation going forward. Add in the impending return of Lance McCullers Jr., and the Astros will have options to take those spots in the near future.
In theory, Javier will be a temporary part of the rotation. He will slot in while the Astros need six starters, heading back to the bullpen and a bulk inning role once this part of the schedule is done. However, his effectiveness thus far, and the questionable performances of Odorizzi and Urquidy could easily lead to his staying as one of the starting five.
Cristian Javier is heading to the Houston Astros rotation for the time being. Depending on how he performs, he may not leave again.