All-Star pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. agrees to $85M extension with Astros

March 24 (UPI) -- Right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and the Houston Astros reached an agreement Wednesday on a multiyear contract extension.

League sources told ESPN, The Athletic and MLB Media that McCullers is signing a five-year, $85 million extension with the Astros. According to the outlets, the extension will start next season and run through 2026.

McCullers and the Astros previously agreed to a one-year, $6.5 million contract for the 2021 season to avoid arbitration.

Earlier this year, McCullers said he hoped to remain with the Astros, who drafted him with the No. 41 overall pick in 2012.

"Houston is where I want to be. This is my home. This is where I see myself," McCullers said last month. "I would undoubtedly want to be here well into the future. You know, I think the real question would be, 'Do the Astros see me here? Do the Astros see me as part of their future?'

"If the Astros see me as part of their future, as a big part of the future, then I would love to stay here if it makes sense for everyone."

McCullers, who was an All-Star selection in 2017, went 3-3 with a 3.93 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 11 starts last season. He has posted a 32-25 record and 3.70 ERA across five seasons in Houston.