The Astros were facing a critical test against the Phillies in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series. Houston trailed 2-1 in the series and needed to win to avoid being pushed to the brink by Philadelphia.
The Astros managed to do that in epic fashion. They put together a combined no-hitter to blank the Phillies 5-0.
The no-hitter was just the second ever in World Series history, joining Yankees pitcher Don Larsen's perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers on Oct. 8, 1956. Four Astros pitchers will be forever etched into the history books alongside Larsen with Cristian Javier being the headliner.
But just who is Javier, and how did he rise to prominence to become one of baseball's November heroes? Here's what to know about Houston's history-making starter.
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Who is Cristian Javier?
Javier is a 25-year-old pitcher who has been with the Astros organization since he was signed as an international free agent in 2015. The righthanded pitcher rose up the organization's ranks and eventually made his MLB debut on July 25, 2020 as part of MLB's COVID-shortened campaign.
Since then, Javier has remained with the Astros, working as both a starter and a reliever. In 2022, he posted an 11-9 regular-season record in 148 2/3 innings with a 2.54 ERA and an average of 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings pitched; all marked career highs for Javier.
Javier was part of a combined no-hitter against the Yankees on June 25, 2022. He pitched the first seven innings of that outing while Hector Neris and Ryan Pressly closed it out.
Javier repeated that feat on Nov. 2, 2022 during the World Series, becoming the first pitcher to ever be a part of two combined no-hitters. His six shutout innings were followed by one each from Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Pressly.
🤝 all love from the @astros dugout towards their starter tonight pic.twitter.com/8D54DobPvO
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) November 3, 2022
Javier's on-field performance has earned him the nickname "El Reptil" among his Astros teammates. Veteran reliever Ryne Stanek explained why after the World Series no-hitter.
"He's just cold-blooded," Stanek said, per ESPN. "Nothing fazes him. He could give up a pump, same face. Punch the side three innings in a row, same face. He's just that guy. What he does is special."
Where is Cristian Javier from?
Javier was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on March 26, 1997. He was signed by the Astros as an international free agent in 2015 and played in the Dominican Summer League before joining the Gulf Coast League Astros in 2016.
Javier played as an outfielder before becoming a pitcher with the Astros. He turned into a good one and became an excellent investment for the Astros.
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Cristian Javier contract
The Astros were able to sign Javier in 2015 at age 18, and because he was among the older international free signees, the Astros paid just $10,000 to acquire him.
Javier's development vastly exceeded the Astros' expectations, and he began getting paid at a major-league level in 2020. He hasn't made much money yet compared to other MLB players, as he is still in his pre-arbitration years, but he is set to start doubling up on his career earnings as he hits arbitration.
Below is a look at his year-by-year contract status, per Spotrac.com.
| Year | Salary/Status |
| 2020 | $563,500 |
| 2021 | $620,400 |
| 2022 | $749,100 |
| 2023 | Arbitration Year 1 (proj. $3.1 million) |
| 2024 | Arbitration Year 2 |
| 2025 | Arbitration Year 3 |
| 2026 | Free agency |
The Astros will be able to sign Javier to a long-term extension at any time before he hits free agency in 2026. It remains to be seen whether they will do that or try to keep him a cost-controlled commodity for the next few years.
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Cristian Javier salary
Javier made just $749,100 for the 2022 MLB season. That was the most he had ever made during a season, with the other totals being as follows:
| Year | Salary |
| 2020 | $563,500 |
| 2021 | $620,400 |
| 2022 | $749,100 |
He is projected to make about $3.1 million next season in his first year of arbitration, per Spotrac.com.
