RADIO
Cristian Javier 2021 Fantasy Outlook: Question Marks Popping Up
4 years agoThe arrival of Houston Astros right-hander Cristian Javier in 2020 was highly anticipated for those following the Astros minor league system. Javier piled up a really impressive 3.14 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his 377 innings in the minors that led to a 2.22 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. That success immediately translated to the majors, as he posted a 3.48 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP in 54 1/3 innings in 2020 with another impressive 3.0 K:BB ratio. Under the hood, things look much less cheery. Javier threw his four-seam fastball a ridiculous 63% of the time and then added on another 25% with his slider usage. That made him one of the most predictable starters in the league, but he still managed to stay out of trouble. Neither of his primary offerings are overly impressive in terms of velocity or movement, so a lot of Javier's game relies on his deception and location. This is not a great setup for someone that is about to face Major League hitters for 150 innings. While he may very well prove us wrong, a wait-and-see approach should be taken with Javier for 2021.
