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Reports: Lance McCullers Jr. agrees to 5-year, $85 million extension with Astros

The Houston Astros have reached an agreement with starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. on a five-year contract extension worth $85 million, according to multiple reports.

The deal kicks in after this year and will keep McCullers in Houston through the 2026 season.

The right-hander figures to slot in as the Astros' No. 2 starter this season, behind ace Zack Greinke. He went 3-3 with a 3.93 ERA and 56 strikeouts over 56 innings in the shortened 2020 campaign. He has a career ERA of 3.70 over five major league seasons. (He missed all of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery.)

Right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. has a 32-25 record and 3.70 ERA over five MLB seasons with the Houston Astros.
Right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. has a 32-25 record and 3.70 ERA over five MLB seasons with the Houston Astros.

The Astros selected McCullers in the first round of the 2012 draft. He reached the majors in 2015 and was an All-Star in 2017, when he helped the Astros win the World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers. He started Game 3 and the decisive Game 7 of that series.

McCullers, 27, is the son of former pitcher Lance McCullers, who spent seven seasons in the majors with the Padres, Yankees, Tigers and Rangers.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lance McCullers, Houston Astros agree to 5-year, $85M deal per reports