Astros' Keuchel won't negotiate extension during season

The clock is ticking on the Houston Astros' chances to sign Dallas Keuchel to a contract extension.

The former Cy Young winner, who is set to become a free agent at the end of this season, arrived at Astros camp Wednesday and immediately announced he won't engage in any contract negotiations with the team once the regular season begins March 29.

"If there is something, it's going to happen before the season," Keuchel said, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. "There's going to be no contractual negotiations during the regular season. I feel like that would be a negative light on some of the teammates while those guys are busting their butts. I don't want anything happening behind the scenes with me that would affect those guys. I want to play ball and see where that leads us."

Keuchel added that he's yet to have any negotiations with Houston.

Keuchel posted a 2.90 ERA in 23 starts for the World Series champions last year, and took a major step toward free agency in December when he hired Scott Boras as his new agent.

The 30-year-old avoided arbitration with the Astros in January and will earn $13.2 million this season.