Cristian Javier Projected to Win 2023 Cy Young

MLB.com predicts Cristian Javier to win 2023 Cy Young

In Anthony Castrovince's 2023 major award winner predictions for MLB.com, the Astros finally received some love. Castrovince projects Cristian Javier as the 2023 American League Cy Young winner.

He acknowledged there was some recency bias in play coming off of Javier's combined no-hitter in the World Series, but he touched on Javier's Statcast metrics as his reasoning for selecting Javier. It cannot be said enough how dominant Javier was in 2022: 98th percentile in xBA, 96th in xERA and xwOBA, 95th in xSLG, 94th in K rate and 82nd in whiff rate and hard hit rate.

His counting stats were just as dominant: 11-9 with a 2.54 ERA, .095 WHIP, 11.7 K/9 (third-best among starters) and a 152 ERA+. Having firmly cemented himself as a starter, Javier had an especially incredible second half of the season: 5-4 with a 1.79 ERA and 0.84 WHIP. He held opposing lineups to a .152 batting average and .505 OPS in the second half.

Oh, and he started combined no-hitters in both Yankee Stadium and on the road down 2-1 in a must win Game 4 of the World Series. He's a truly special arm.

Now established as a full-time starter rather than fluctuating back and forth, look for Javier to build off of his 2022 campaign heading into 2023.

This prediction makes MLB.com's previously released Top 10 Starting Pitching Duos in which they ranked Javier and Framber Valdez tenth-best in the game all the more laughable. Valdez just finished in the top-five of Cy Young voting. Now they're projecting his co-ace to win the award.

We wrote a piece imploring the Astros start being shown their respect in response, and while our beloved Astros may not be any more liked on a national basis, it is nice to see one of our own finally getting the respect they deserve.

Here's to the Astros going back-to-back in both the World Series and the AL Cy Young. Bring it home Cristian!