HOUSTON ( Associated Press) – Pitcher Cristian Javier and the Houston Astros agreed to a $64 million, five-year contract on Friday that avoided going into salary arbitration hearings.
Javier receives a $2 million signing bonus, payable within 30 days of contract approval by the commissioner’s office, as well as a salary of $3 million this season, $7 million in 2024, $10 million in 2025 and over the next two years Each gets $21 million.
The last two years could see his salary increase to 6 million in 2026 and 8 million in 2027, based on Cy Young Award voting. They would each receive 2 million for first place, 1 million for second, and an increase of 500,000 for the next place. between third and fifth.
Xavier has the authority to block trades to 10 teams in 2026 and 2027 without his approval.
Javier, a 25-year-old right-hander, went 11-9 with a 2.54 ERA in 25 starts and five relief appearances last year, striking out 198 and striking out 52 in 148 innings and two-thirds.
He set career best numbers for wins, ERA, strikeouts and innings pitched.
He won both of his postseason starts, pitching 11 1/3 scoreless innings against the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALCS and Game 4 of the World Series against Philadelphia.
He pitched a pair of no-hitters, pitching seven innings in New York on June 25 and six against the Phillies, just the second no-hitter in World Series history.
Javier had asked for 3.5 million in arbitration and they offered him 3 million. He earned 749,100 last year.
