Much has been made of Cristian Javier’s struggles before the All-Star break and for good reason. Counted upon as the Astros’ best starter not named Framber Valdez, Javier’s performance is vital for the club’s fortunes in 2023. But his June performance — 5.79 ERA and 4.87 FIP in 23 1⁄3 innings — left many scratching their heads why the starter for two combined no-hitters last year appeared suddenly vulnerable. Hint: Velocity and release points.
Possibly due to fatigue, Javier’s four-seam velocity and its release point, specifically his vertical release point, subtly changed as the season progressed.