Report: Keuchel, Astros have begun discussing multi-year extension
Dallas Keuchel is without a doubt one of the breakout stories of 2015, and his success is a principal reason the Houston Astros are still in first place in the AL West.
While their collective eyes may be focused intensely on the next few weeks and the month of October, it's always a good idea to think about the future too. With that in mind, it makes sense that Keuchel and the club have opened up a dialog regarding a contract extension, according to Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle.
As he's still relatively young experience-wise, Keuchel hasn't yet reached his arbitration years. Considering his quick emergence into one of the top pitchers in the game, the Astros might benefit by locking him up now and bypassing arbitration completely.
As you might expect, Keuchel is currently enjoying anchoring the Astros' rotation and charging ahead toward what they hope are two more successful months of baseball.
As quoted by Drellich, Keuchel is very much interested in sticking around Minute Maid Park for the long haul: “This is all I’ve known, and it’s where I want to be. I know we’re in a great position for the next probably five, 10 years, and that’s what it’s all about, it’s all about winning. Me personally, it’s not about the dollar amount. It’s about winning, because it doesn’t last forever. I know that. So at the end of the day, I just want to win. I want one of those rings."
Of course, even though Keuchel 'the dollar amount' isn't important, it is. No top-tier player wants to be compensated at a level below his peers, and Keuchel clarified that he just wants 'fair' treatment: “With that being said, it’s got to be something that’s fair and that’s right for both parties. I’m not trying to break the bank. I’m just out here to have fun and pitch and do the best I can.”
It doesn't sound as if a contract extension is imminent, however. Not yet, anyway, with the Astros focused solely on their AL West title goals right now...but Keuchel also told Drellich that both he, his agent and the Astros appear to be on the same page interest-wise: "There have been some talks, but nothing major, and the feeling is mutual between my party and the team."
This will be something worth paying attention to once the 2015 season wraps up. Should the Astros make the postseason, they'll be in a position where they could very well decide to ensure that some of their top young talent remains in Houston for the foreseeable future, starting with Keuchel.
(h/t Houston Chronicle)
