AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel is focused on a one-year deal with the Astros after only limited discussions with the team about a long-term deal, his agent said on MLB Network Radio (via the Houston Chronicle).
Keuchel, who turned 28 on New Year's Day, went 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA (1.02 WHIP) in 2015 while being paid the major league minimum of approximately $525,000. The left-hander is eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason and, according to the Chronicle, is projected to get in the $6 million range through arbitration, though the sides could agree to a deal before then.
MORE: 10 MLB predictions for 2016
“At this point, we have not engaged the club in any sort of long-term discussions,” Keuchel's agent, Darek Braunecker, said Sunday on MLB Network Radio. “It’s common knowledge that we had some discussion during the season last year and it was just preliminary seeing where one another stood. They approached us, just kicked the tires, and get a sense where both parties were at that time.”
Players file for arbitration on Jan. 12, player and team salary figures are exchanged Jan. 15 and then hearings — between players and teams that can't reach agreements — are conducted from Feb. 1-21.
