A Mother’s Intuition Makes World Series History
Before Christian Javier started a combined no-hitter in the World Series, his mother made a shocking prediction
The way he delivered the line, you would have thought he was delivering a classic athlete cliché. Houston Astros pitcher Christian Javier stood next to Fox’s Ken Rosenthal, stone faced for his postgame interview. Rosenthal said, “Christian, you threw six no-hit innings. You're part of only the second no-hitter in World Series history. When did you know that tonight would be special?”
Javier responded through an interpreter, registering neither amazement nor amusement, just the slightest signs of a smile on his lips.
“My parents told me I was going to throw a no-hitter, and thanks to God that I was able to accomplish that,” he said.
Rosenthal did show emotion. He was bewildered. “They told you that you were going to throw a no-hitter?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Javier said. “They told me last night.”
“And what did you say?”
Finally, Javier cracked a smile. “That we’re going to stay positive, with God helping us, we can do it,” he said.
Before last night, Javier’s father, Cecilio, had never been able to travel from the Dominican Republic to watch his son pitch in the Big Leagues. It seems to be a trend for the Astros this postseason—foreign-born players’ parents come to town, and good things happen. Just a few weeks ago, we spotlighted the story of first baseman Yordan Alvarez, whose parents endured nearly five years of visas, passports, and immigration hell to make it to Minute Maid Park.
Javier’s parents made the trek from the Dominican to Philadelphia earlier this week to watch their son. While talking to Christian Tuesday night, his mother, Trinidad, made her fateful prediction.
Even two years ago, the situation itself would have seemed outlandish. Javier was a middling prospect growing up; he signed with Houston in 2015 for only $10,000. But almost immediately, he thrived in the Astros organization and notched a 2.13 ERA in his first year in the Minor Leagues. From there, he steadily climbed through the Minors, but in 2020, during Covid, he was sent home to quarantine on his own. He didn’t have access to MLB quality fields or gyms—so he just made do with what he had.
Just two years later, Javier has blossomed into one of the fiercest arms in baseball. “He is ridiculous,” one MLB manager told The Athletic while watching yesterday’s game. “Maybe the best pitcher on both rosters.” In June, he started another combined no-hitter. On Wednesday, he helped accomplish something that hasn’t been done since 1956.
“With my parents being here,” Javier said, “I just tried to give my best, give my family the best that I could.”
I’d say he accomplished that goal—even if the results came as no surprise for one fan cheering in the stands.
🎙️ ICYMI David Greene sat down with Robert Griffin III to discuss the play that changed the quarterback’s career forever on this week’s episode of In the Moment. And for The Word, producer Sarah McCrory wrote about her takeaways from the interview.
🌽 First fishing, then chess, then competitive Irish jigging. Now, cornhole is the latest sport to be rocked by a cheating scandal. As one fan put it, “The dirty underbelly is being exposed.”
🗽 Everyone needs to watch the Japanese World Series intro.
🎃 …or maybe it was this family?
