Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that free agent left-hander Dallas Keuchel may be lowering his asking price in hopes of finding a major-league deal, per a report on Saturday. Rosenthal cites a source that believes Keuchel is looking for a one-year deal above the $17.9 million qualifying offer he rejected from the Astros last fall, though he’s still open to a long-term contract at lower terms than the original $150-200 million deal he was seeking over a six- or seven-year span.
Now that the season is underway, the 31-year-old hurler has been tossing 95-pitch simulated games every five days in order to prepare for his next gig. He rounded out a seven-year stint with the Astros in 2018 and pitched to a 12-11 record in 34 starts with a 3.74 ERA, 2.6 BB/9, 6.7 SO/9, and 3.3 fWAR across 204 2/3 innings.
Even given Keuchel’s solid track record, it’s not clear if any teams are prepared to make offers within the parameters the pitcher (and agent Scott Boras) have set. The Padres were linked to Keuchel as recently as last weekend, but have reportedly balked at his asking price and don’t seem to be closing in on a formal agreement. The Mets and Brewers have also been mentioned as potential suitors for the southpaw, though no substantial progress appears to have been made in the last week or so.
