Cristian Javier returned from elbow surgery and fired five innings in Houston’s 7-6 win over Boston, signaling a promising comeback for the Astros’ rotation depth. He looked healthy, flashing a mid-90s fastball and a sharper feel for his secondary stuff, a notable velocity bump from prior seasons.

Javier reached 95.4 mph on a 29-pitch four-seamer sample, with his best attribute being the fastball located up in the zone. His slider showed less bite than in peak 2022, but the overall arsenal—that now includes a sinker against right-handed hitters and a more velocity-heavy changeup to lefties—made him more unpredictable and dangerous as the night wore on.

The surge in velocity, plus the new sinker, offered fresh avenues for fantasy managers: if he sustains the power surge and command, Javier could stabilize the Astros’ rotation down the stretch. A later two-run homer by Alex Bregman paused the momentum briefly, yet the outing underscored the upside of a post-surgery rebound for a pitcher who will be monitored closely in pending starts.

Houston opted to lean on internal reinforcements rather than chase external upgrades, placing faith in Javier and others returning from injury to anchor a contentious division race. The moment was emotional for Javier, who embraced teammates and fans, underscoring both the difficulty of rehab and the value of perseverance for dynasty and daily fantasy formats alike.