Javier posted career highs with 31 starts and 162 innings. However, his skills fell precipitously from the previous season. Most notably, Javier's slider wasn't nearly as effective, fueling a strikeout rate drop from 33.2 percent to 23.1 percent. His 3.44 BB/9 compared to a 3.15 BB/9 in 2022 suggests a decline in control, but Javier's BB% was nearly identical to the previous campaign. The reason is his BABIP last year was .272, 48 points higher than the .228 mark from 2022. The increase in base runners bumped up the plate appearance denominator in BB%. As a fly ball pitcher, a .272 BABIP is plausible; he was fortunate the prior season. Inconsistent release points rendered Javier's slider and four-seam fastball less dominant, but he showed signs of improvement down the stretch and into the postseason. The Astros are a smart organization, so Javier will probably make the needed adjustments. Still, expecting a rebound to 2022 levels is aggressive. Splitting the difference between the last two seasons is the sage approach. Read Past Outlooks