Houston Astros pitchers Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy preparing for elbow surgeries, ending 2024 season, team confirms

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Cristian Javier appeared out of shape when he returned to the Houston Astros lineup after a neck injury and immediately allowed seven runs, including a grand slam, to the Detroit Tigers in a brief start on May 11 .

The one-and-a-third inning affair was not the pitch Astros fans expected from the owner of a combined World Series no-hitter.

But on Tuesday, the 27-year-old’s fate for the rest of the season became clear when reports surfaced that Javier would need Tommy John surgery to relieve nagging pain in his right forearm . The Dominican was placed on injured reserve for the second time this season after being unable to participate in a scheduled bullpen session this weekend.

Earlier this week, reports indicated that he and fellow injured pitcher Jose Urquidy were seeking a second opinion regarding the same illness.

The Astros organization confirmed the reports on Wednesday, sharing the news on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Urquidy is expected to have surgery on Wednesday and Javier on Thursday, according to the team, officially marking the end of the 2024 season.