San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Javier, bullpen toss a no-hitter
NEW YORK — They call Cristian Javier El Reptil for the manner in which he works. He is methodical, meticulous and exudes almost outward emotion. Those not aware he’s around will assume he’s absent. Snakes slither unseen and strike when few expect it. Javier says nothing, shows a soft smile and can sneak up on a sport that now realizes his potential.
On a sun-splashed Saturday afternoon, on one of baseball’s hallowed grounds, Javier introduced himself to the baseball world. He awoke as the sixth starter in a stacked starting rotation, a $10,000 international signee with potential the team had not consistently harnessed. He exited with an eternal place in Houston baseball history.
Javier bullied baseball’s best lineup for seven hitless innings, stealing any spotlight the New York Yankees hoped this fourgame series would afford them. Relievers Héctor Neris and Ryan Pressly procured the final six outs, after which Houston’s dugout spilled onto the field in a frenzy.
The trio teamed to throw the 14th no-hitter in Astros history during a 3-0 win at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees had not been no-hit since six Astros hurlers teamed to throw one on June 11, 2003, at the original Yankee Stadium. Javier, Neris and Pressly produced the first no-hitter in 13 seasons inside the new ballpark, where a near-capacity crowd of more than 45,000 watched in stunned silence.
“We love this atmosphere,” catcher Martín Maldonado said. “We love games like this. … It was a big series. We knew that the Yankees, a lot of people are talking about the Yankees and they don’t talk much
(about) the Astros. I feel we are still the same team. We love competing out there and we felt like it was a playoff game coming into the series.”
Justin Verlander threw the Astros’ last no-hitter on Sept. 1, 2019, against the Toronto Blue Jays. Javier had no chance to complete his masterpiece alone. Verlander is an established ace without any doubts about his workload.
Javier is a promising 25-yearold with only 211 innings of major league experience. He made 28 major league starts before Saturday. Only once did he exceed 100 pitches. Overtaxing his arm in pursuit of personal achievement is a choice the Astros refused to make. That they even allowed him to throw 115 felt aggressive.
“He was the best version of
himself,” pitching coach Josh Miller said. “Threw strike one a bunch, had the good slider going, his fastball command was pretty good. It’s just a unique look for lineups and it showed today.”
Javier surpassed any rational expectation the Astros harbored before the game. When the starting rotation is at full health, Javier is their seventh starter. He brought a 3.07 ERA and 1.168 WHIP to the ballpark. He had not pitched into the seventh inning all season.
Javier relies on a high-spin four-seam fastball without overwhelming velocity. He is a fly ball pitcher that is difficult to hit — opponents had a .208 average against him entering Saturday — but sometimes undone by bouts of inconsistent command. He walked 4.7 batters
per nine innings last season and 3.7 per nine in the 13 appearances preceding this one.
“He was masterful,” manager Dusty Baker said. “He’s a pretty cool player to be so young. He doesn’t show very much emotion. He trains hard, works hard. He’s just an outstanding young man.”
Gerrit Cole carved up the Astros across seven spectacular innings. Rookie J.J. Matijevic mashed his only mistake for a solo home run in the seventh. Cole let a 99.7 mph four-seamer leak too far inside.
Matijevic struck it 403 feet into the second deck of right field seats, affording Javier the only run of support he required.
“He’s a young guy but he looks like he could be good for a long time in the game,” Neris said of his starter. “When he focuses and hits the spots he wants, the pitches he has are good enough to be great for a long time here.”
Neris began to toss in Houston’s bullpen before the seventh inning began. Baker conferred with Miller to establish a limit for Javier’s outing. He needed 91 pitches to finish six frames. He had not thrown more than 96 all season.
“Playoffs, World Series, guy is the same,” Maldonado said. “I say ‘You ever get scared or anything?’”
“He could give up five (runs) or throw a no-hitter and he’s still the same guy. Was I surprised he did that? No. Because I know how good he is.”