Cole rejected a qualifying offer from the Astros on Thursday, making him a free agent, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Cole's decision to reject the one-year, $17.8 million qualifying offer is not a surprising one, as the right-hander is expected to command a hefty price tag in free agency. The Astros will now be able to receive draft-pick compensation if he signs elsewhere after posting a 2.50 ERA with a 326:48 K:BB in 2019.