Dave Shovein breaks down Cristian Javier‘s $64 million contract extension and the Marlins acquiring AJ Puk for JJ Bleday in Monday’s Offseason Lowdown.
Cristian Javier Lands Five-Year, $64M Extension
The Astros rode a star-studded lineup and one of the top starting rotations in all of baseball all the way to a World Series Championship in 2022. While Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez got most of the headlines for leading that pitching staff, Cristian Javier was of critical importance as well.
The 25-year-old right-hander dazzled over 148 2/3 innings (30 appearances, 25 starts), registering a 2.54 ERA, minuscule 0.95 WHIP and a 194/52 K/BB ratio. He was even better in the postseason – hurling 5 1/3 shutout innings in a victory over the Yankees in the ALCS.
Javier then delivered the biggest start of his career on the game’s biggest stage in Game 4 of the World Series. The Astros were staring at a 2-1 deficit in the Series against the Phillies and there had been chatter about pushing Justin Verlander up a day to pitch on short rest in Game 4. Instead, Astros’ skipper Dusty Baker remained supremely confident in Javier – who did not disappoint. He racked up nine strikeouts, walked two and did not allow a hit over six shutout innings – changing the tide of the Series and the season for the Astros.
New Astros’ general manager Dana Brown knew when taking the job that locking up Javier was a priority and on Friday he got it done. It’s not quite the jaw-dropping discount that we saw from all of the Braves’ superstars while Brown was a part of the front office there, but it does look like a good deal for both sides. Ultimately, Javier gets a five-year deal worth $64 million. That buys out all three of his arbitration-eligible seasons as well as his first two years of free agency. He’ll hit free agency for the first time as a 31-year-old following the 2027 season.
While Javier is the first player to sign a long-term extension under Brown, he won’t be the last. After defeating superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker in arbitration, the Astros would be wise to lock him up to a long-term deal as soon as possible.
If you’re hoping that fantasy managers were asleep at the wheel during Javier’s brilliant 2022 campaign and his dominant postseason, and that you’ll be able to snag him at a discount in 2023 fantasy drafts, think again. Over the past month in NFBC Draft Champions drafts, Javier holds an average draft position of 62 overall – placing him as the 17th starting pitcher off the board.
Marlins Acquire A.J. Puk from Athletics
On Saturday evening a couple of small market teams got together and made an interesting swap, as the Marlins acquired left-hander A.J. Puk from the Athletics in return for outfielder J.J Bleday.
Puk, 27, was the Athletics’ first-round pick (sixth overall) from the 2016 draft class. Over three big league seasons, he has compiled a 3.56 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and a 76/23 K/BB ratio over 91 innings in his 84 appearances – all out of the bullpen.
Puk worked as a starter throughout his minor league career though – and he worked out over the winter with the intention of being stretched back out for the 2023 season. It’s unclear which role the Marlins plan to utilize him in.
Bleday, 25, was also a first-round draft pick – going fourth overall in the 2019 draft. He broke through to the big leagues in 2022 – slashing a miserable .167/.277/.309 with five homers, 16 RBI, four stolen bases and a 67/30 K/BB ratio over 238 plate appearances. Though he has a lot of swing-and-miss to his game, he’s still a very talented young hitter and the Athletics will likely give him everyday at-bats against right-handed pitching to see what he can do.
In terms of average draft position, Bleday has been more of an afterthought in early NFBC Draft Champions drafts, sitting well outside the top-600 players overall over the past month. His playing time outlook certainly looks like it will improve with this move though, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him creep up into the 450 range by the end of March.
Puk is a much more interesting case. The left-hander has already been going right around pick 400 overall and his outlook could improve as well with the move to Miami. If the Marlins plan on using him as a starting pitcher, he probably sees a small bump, but nothing that is going to drastically change things. There’s always a chance though that they could keep him in the bullpen – and decide to utilize him in the ninth inning. There’s competition for the role – with Dylan Floro, Matt Barnes and Tanner Scott all vying for the same role – but Puk should be in the mix as well. If he finds himself the favorite for save chances to start the season, his draft stock would soar.
MLB Quick Hits: The Diamondbacks bolstered their bullpen by signing left-hander Andrew Chafin to a one-year, $6.5 million contract. … The Dodgers signed outfielder David Peralta to a one-year, $6.5 million pact. … The Cubs agreed to a one-year contract with free agent right-hander Michael Fulmer. … The Pirates signed veteran backstop Kevin Plawecki to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. … The Athletics added right-hander Drew Steckenrider on a minor league pact. … The Dodgers agreed to a one-year $1.1 million contract with former Cardinals’ closer Alex Reyes that includes a club option for the 2024 campaign. … The Rays added righty Kyle Crick on a minor league deal. … The Blue Jays signed Luke Bard to a minor league pact with an invitation to big league camp. … The Reds announced that Tejay Antone received a stem-cell platelet-rich plasma injection in his troublesome right forearm and is expected to miss the first half of the season. … The Brewers re-signed Jon Singleton to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. … The Rays reunited with infielder Daniel Robertson on a minor league deal. … The Mets sent embattled outfielder Khalil Lee outright to Triple-A Syracuse. … Justin Bour announced his retirement from professional baseball. … Marlins right-hander Sixto Sanchez told reporters that he feels much stronger physically and dropped 46 pounds over the course of the winter. … The Phillies avoided arbitration with José Alvarado by agreeing to a one-year, $3.45 million deal. … The Dodgers signed right-hander Rubby De La Rosa to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. … The Pirates brought in left-hander Caleb Smith on a minor league deal with a non-roster invite to spring training. … The Blue Jays officially signed Bo Bichette to a three-year, $33.6 million contract.
