WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Next offseason is months away, but with two of the best pitchers in the game approaching free agency, it's never too early to speculate whether they will stay with the Astros. Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole are premier arms who will command attention on the

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Next offseason is months away, but with two of the best pitchers in the game approaching free agency, it's never too early to speculate whether they will stay with the Astros.

Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole are premier arms who will command attention on the free-agent market, which officially opens for business soon after the final game of the World Series. The big question is if they'll be available when that time comes, or if the Astros will have already secured their services for another several years after 2019.

The Astros, behind president and general manager Jeff Luhnow, keep a tight lid on their thoughts about these topics, but team owner Jim Crane usually has a thought or two that he is willing to share publicly. That was the case Wednesday morning when he met briefly with the media at the Astros' spring facility.

Crane didn't make any sweeping announcements; rather, he simply acknowledged that yes, the Astros would be interested in extending Verlander and/or Cole, if the pitchers have a desire to stay with Houston and if the two sides can find common monetary ground.

"We're certainly going to look at it, either now or as the season progresses, depending on what they want to do," Crane said. "Both those guys are good pitchers. They should be good pitchers down the road.

"We'll always try to take a look at those guys and see if we can extend them."

Verlander, 36, will earn $28 million in 2019, finishing a 10-year deal he originally signed with the Tigers. Cole, 28, will earn $13.5 million and will be a first-time free agent this coming offseason.

Cole kept his comments brief when asked about the topic after Wednesday’s workout.

“I guess that would be nice,” he said about potentially re-signing. “So we'll see.”

Have there been discussions?

“Not that I’m aware of,” Cole responded.

As recently as last month's FanFest, Verlander said he had not been approached about an extension, nor had he approached the Astros. On Wednesday, Crane declined to acknowledge whether there have been discussions.

There is no urgency to get deals done this time of year, but getting an extension ironed out early helps eliminate any regular-season distractions that come with unresolved contract situations. Last Spring Training, the Astros extended Jose Altuve to an extension that runs through 2023.

Will more extensions be announced this spring?

"We try to pick a good spot," Crane said. "It could be the end of the season, it could be during the season. We'll see what they want to do and whether they want to stick here, and for what number they want to stick here. There has to be common ground someplace, and if we don't reach it then we won't do it."