JUPITER, Fla. -- Astros starter Cristian Javier, who changed his workout routine in the offseason and lost 15 pounds to be nimbler on the mound, continues to look strong this spring. Javier struck out six batters, walked one and gave up a pair of solo homers in three innings in Thursday’s 6-3 win over the Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Javier’s fastball continues to have the rise, movement and velocity they were hoping to see this spring. He threw 28 fastballs in his 56-pitch outing, averaging 92.7 mph.

“I like how he mixed all his pitches, some plus changeups to get some swing and miss,” he said. “He had those two mistakes -- the homers to [Jordan] Walker and [Matt] Carpenter, but aside of that, he threw the ball really well. He had some slide steps in there and kept the running game in check.”

Using the slide step when runners are on base or trying to change his timing are two of the things Javier began working on in-game Thursday to help control the running game. Last year, Javier was tied for eighth-worst among qualified pitchers in the Major Leagues in pitcher base advances prevented.

“That’s an area of emphasis in Javier’s game to make sure we keep runners close and not invite them to run at will,” Espada said.

WBC prep benefits Pressly
Last year, Astros reliever Ryan Pressly began his offseason throwing program earlier in the winter in anticipation of playing in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The early preparation felt so good that Pressly integrated the same routine into his prep for this season and has seen positive returns.

“You’re not 24 anymore and you can’t just roll out of bed and just go play catch,” he said. “It takes a little bit longer to get your mechanics fine-tuned, but if you can start that a little bit earlier in the offseason, it will play a little bit better when you’re in spring and you’re trying not to panic or anything. That’s the pattern I fell into the past couple of years, except for these last two years [when] it’s ‘Let’s pick up throwing a little bit earlier, let’s get off the mound a little earlier than normal,’ and I think that kind of paid off.”

Pressly, who will move into a setup role this year after the Astros signed closer Josh Hader, threw all four of his pitches -- curveball, slider, four-seam fastball and changeup -- over a 25-pitch outing Thursday. He got at least one swing-and-miss on all four pitches and threw 18 strikes.

“I’m really happy,” he said. “I feel like I’m in a better spot than I was last year. I was able to throw a bunch of stuff for strikes today -- working on heaters in pitchers‘ counts and stuff like that. This is a time to try some stuff and the fastball was coming out of my hand really well today and I was really excited.”

Bregman getting swing locked in
Astros third baseman Alex Bregman has been working on his swing diligently for the first few weeks of Spring Training and is starting to get locked in with the start of the season only two weeks away. Bregman’s flyout to right field in his final at-bat in Thursday’s game may have been his best swing of the spring.

“Obviously, right now I’m just trying to get some feel for some things and trying to get a few thoughts out, but so far I’ve been fortunate enough to get 40, 50 at-bats on the back fields,” he said. “I’m able to work on a bunch of stuff, and I hit the ball hard a few times in the air. Just a missed a few but overall, I feel good.”

Bregman’s first at-bat of the spring was a long fly ball to left field at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches that may have been a homer at Minute Maid Park. He’s 1-for-15 in Grapefruit League games but had three hits off Framber Valdez in live BP on Wednesday, all three of which were harder than 100 mph off the bat.

This year, Bregman will likely be batting in one of the most enviable spots in the big leagues -- after Kyle Tucker and before Yordan Alvarez, two of the game’s premier young sluggers.

“Obviously, those guys are superstar players and I love hitting in between both of them,” he said.