New 5-year deal puts Astros' Cristian Javier under club control through 2027
Javier, 25, is credited as the starter in both of Houston's combined no-hitters in 2022, including in World Series Game 4.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Astros general manager Dana Brown's expressed mission to lock up young pieces for potential championship years to come made the first step in earnest on Friday.
The video above is from Nov. 3, 2022.
Cristian Javier, whose breakout 2022 included starting in two combined no-hit games - one of them in the World Series, signed a five-year contract extension that will keep him under club control through 2027.
The 25-year-old entered this offseason in the first year of arbitration eligibility. Javier had asked for $3.5 million in arbitration and had been offered $3 million.
Sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan that the deal is for $64 million, and it includes a $2 million signing bonus, payable within 30 days of the deal's approval by the commissioner's office.
Javier gets salaries of $3 million this season, $7 million in 2024, $10 million in 2025 and $21 million in each of the following two years, according to the sources.
His salaries in the final two years can increase based on Cy Young Award voting, by up to $6 million in 2026 and $8 million in 2027. He would get a $2 million boost for each first-place finish, $1 million for second and $500,000 for third through fifth.
Javier has the right to block trades to 10 teams without his approval in 2026 and 2027.
He made $749,100 last year.
The signing signals a remarkable rise for Javier and reinforces the club's baseball-best international scouting efforts.
Javier was signed as a prospect out of the Dominican Republic in 2015 for just $10,000.
No. 53 will be looked at as a cornerstone piece of the new-look Astros starting pitcher rotation, which shifts leftie Framber Valdez as the potential opening day starter.
The signing also comes on the same day that an arbitrator sided with the Astros over All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker's 2023 salary. Tucker, 26, will earn $5 million, which is $2.5 million fewer than what he was seeking.
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ESPN contributed to this report.
