The Houston Astros are still dealing with the reality of their Game 7 World Series loss to the Washington Nationals. It appears to hit Gerrit Cole pretty hard. Cole is still angry with the team after he was passed over when Zack Greinke was taken out in the seventh inning. Greinke was warming up when skipper A.J. Hinch decided to go with Will Harris. This decision may have cost the Houston Astros the Game 7 victory and the World Series. It's now clear that free-agent Cole was upset he wasn't put in the final game of the 2019 World Series.

Gerrit Cole is now a free agent and he made sure the world knows it, telling the media that he's not an employee of the team and now just a representative of himself.

Cole spoke to the Washington Post saying he enjoyed playing in Houston, emphasizing past tense. Cole is in the free agency market at 29-years-old and leaves Houston after recording 600 strikeouts over two seasons.

Gerrit Cole could become highest-paid starter pitcher

He could become the highest-paid pitcher, even more than what David Price was paid by Boston. Price secured a $217 million deal, leading him to become the highest-paid starter. Cole later ended up walking back what he said but did acknowledge he is upset, but that his tone did not come off the way he intended. With Houston having to pay both Justin Verlander and Zack Grienke, it's doubtful they will bring back Cole.

Houston Astros' owner Jim Crane is dead set on not going over the Luxury Tax, so that means Cole will likely be playing for another team.

What makes this situation even more strange was that Hinch and Cole met before Game 7 about how Cole was going to be used in the final game of the series.

Cole was angry over Hinch not putting him in Game 7, while Hinch previously met with him and discussed how Cole would be used. He was clearly disrespected when Hinch had him warm up but later had someone relieve Zack Greinke.

I'm sure Cole felt like he was being disrespected.

Cole's absence from Game 7 won't hurt him financially

Despite having to sit out Game 7, it's doubtful this situation will hurt him financially, as he looks for a new deal with another team. Hinch appeared to be making all the right moves with his team throughout the postseason but ended up making one mistake.

Hinch needed to bring in Cole for Game 7, despite what he and Cole discussed.

Cole ripping Houston and the situation just a few minutes after losing Game 7, is just a bad move for him. It's a sticky situation that won't impact a decision made by both Houston and Gerrit Cole. Gerrit is now waiting for a new team to come calling, and that team could be the Los Angeles Angels.

Cole is a native of California, growing up nearby Angel Stadium, and with Joe Maddon taking over as manager, Cole seems like the perfect fit for the Angels. Meanwhile, Houston is looking for fresh talent, while leaning on Verlander and Greinke as they look to return to the World Series in 2020.
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