Verlander and the Astros are open to discussing a contract extension, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Verlander is entering the final year of his contract -- he made voiding a 2020 club option a condition of accepting a trade to Houston in August 2017 -- and the soon-to-be 36-year-old remains one of the best starters in the game. "We love Justin Verlander, and we traded for him for a reason, and he clearly has not declined at all. He continues to be one of the elite pitchers in the game," general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "Of course we would have interest in keeping him around here as long as we possibly can." The right-hander finished second in the AL Cy Young voting in 2018, after going 16-9 with a 2.52 ERA, an MLB-best 0.90 WHIP and an AL-leading 290 strikeouts.