Right-hander took a big step towards returning to the Astros rotation today when he began a rehab a signment, as relayed by . Javier threw 1 1/3 innings in the Florida Complex League today, and manager Joe Espada told reporters (including Kawahara) that Javier came out feeling really good after a 35-pitch outing where he touched 95 mph with his fastball. That Javier is back on the mound after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June of 2024 is encouraging news for an Astros club in desperate need of pitching reinforcements. Breakout ace and the ever-reliable have been good enough this year to paper over a number of i sues, but has a 6.48 ERA in ten starts this year. Relying on him to start playoff games would be a tough pill to swallow, and rookies and arent much more reliable despite Walter in particular putting together a strong effort so far. Javier has a career 3.59 ERA in the major leagues, but the Astros would surely take even the career-worst 4.56 he posted during the 2023 season if it meant adding some much-needed depth to their rotation. Kawahara writes that the Astros are optimistic that the right-hander will be able to return at some point in the second half to chip in for the clubs latest playoff push, but its not exactly clear when or in what role Rayjon Tucker Jersey Javier will be expected to participate. Typically, a pitchers rehab a signment can only last for a maximum of 30 days. That would normally suggest Javier should rejoin the big league club at some point in early-to-mid August, but pitchers recovering from Tommy John surgery can receive up to three ten-day extensions on their rehab time for a maximum of 60 days. That means it wouldnt be outlandish to see Javier continue rehabbing into mid-September, and thats before even considering the po sibility of a setback. Without a more firm timetable for the right-handers return, its hard to know how much Houston is expecting to be able to count on the righty in the second half. Fortunately for the Astros, Javier isnt the only pitcher on the mend. is still on his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in May of 2023 after repeated shutdowns due to continued sorene s in his elbow, but began a rehab a signment of his this past Monday. , meanwhile, has been sidelined since April with a thumb fracture. A rehab a signment could be in sight for him as well, but Kawahara relays (per Espada) that hell need a couple of se sions against live hitters before taking that step. All of those impending returns from key arms should help the Astros down the stretch, but with so much uncertainty about that trios timeline its hard to imagine it being enough to convince the Astros not to search aggre sively for rotation upgrades prior to the trade deadline on July 31. Last year, the club surrendered significant capital to acquire a top rental in the form of southpaw . Barring a surprise injury to Brown or Valdez, they may not need to be quite as aggre sive this time around but should still at least be in the market for some type of rotation depth. Pirates southpaw , Nationals righty , and White Sox right-hander are among a number of veteran rentals who arent likely to be quite as expensive as some of the summers top names. Derrick Favors Jersey