Houston Starting Pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. And Team Working On Extension

The Houston Astros and starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. are in negotiations for a new contract that will keep him in Houston.

The Houston Chronicle reports that the offer is “strong,” and it sounds like the pair will get a deal done before the season starts on April 1st.

In this his final season under the old contract, McCullers is set to make $6.5 million.

The 27-year-old is 32-25 in five seasons with the Astros, throwing over 500 innings with an ERA of 3.70. He has started 91 games and pitched in 94 of them overall.

The righty pitcher has been consistent during his time with the Astros. His best season came in 2018 when he won 10 games, putting up a 3.86 ERA in 22 starts.

He's 1-2 in the postseason, pitching in 14 games and starting seven of them. His one postseason win came in 2017 in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

McCullers said recently that he had every intention of staying with the Astros. He was drafted by the Astros in the first round (41st) of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft.

“Houston is my home,” McCullers said last month.

“I’ve poured myself really into the city, and I’m going to continue to do so. If the Astros see me as a guy they want to keep and be a part of their future and win more championships, I believe we can get something done, because there’s really no other place I want to play.”