Javier, who had Tommy John surgery last June, is targeting a July return this season.

This move is procedural. Javier is aiming for a July return after off-season Tommy John surgery.

When the 27-year-old right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery, the initial expectation was that he would be able to return at the end of July in 2025. So far at least, it seems like that timetable is on track as long as he avoids any setbacks. How effective he’ll be upon his return remains to be seen though. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues are better off waiting to see what he looks like when he returns rather than trying to stash him now.

Javier underwent Tommy John surgery at the beginning of June, so a return at the end of July would be 13 months post-surgery which sets up with the normal recovery timeline. Even though Javier had an up-and-down season in 2024, he has posted a 3.59 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 27 percent strikeout rate over 501 innings (116 appearances, 82 starts) in the majors since 2020. Since fantasy managers will likely only get two months from Javier in 2025, it’s unlikely he gets drafted in most formats but he could be a valuable waiver add at the end of the season. Dana Brown mentioned that Jose Urquidy will be on a similar timeline, so the Astros will be without both of them for the majority of the 2025 season.