MLB next team odds: Where will Cole, Rendon sign in free agency?

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The champagne hadn't yet dried in the opposing team's clubhouse when Houston Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole, donning a Boras Corp. hat, informed reporters that he was "not an employee of the team."

The message was clear: Free agency can't wait.

Neither can oddsmakers, who released a host of odds on where some of baseball's biggest names will land this summer. A year after Bryce Harper and Manny Machado stole summer headlines, it'll be a pitcher-heavy class led by Cole and World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg testing the market.

Here are the odds for some of the biggest free agents' potential destinations:

Gerrit Cole, P, Astros

Would Cole really consider returning to Houston after being sidelined in Game 7 and then publicly distancing himself from the Astros multiple times in the following 24 hours? Crazier things have happened, so perhaps it's a leverage play, but smart money says Cole will chase the cash elsewhere.

The Angels make sense as favorites: They've shown a willingness to invest heavily in big fish before, and they need an anchor on their staff to avoid wasting Mike Trout's prime. Don't discount the Yankees, though, who've been linked to Cole before and were the subjects of a younger Cole's fandom. The odds have already moved in their favor.

Stephen Strasburg, P, Nationals

Strasburg celebrated his World Series MVP by reportedly opting out of four years for $100 million, which is seemingly the floor for what his next offer could be. The Nationals opened at 5-4 odds to retain him, but those have since lengthened as bettors hit the Yankees, whose starters couldn't match Houston's staff in the same way that Washington's did.

The smart bet is for Strasburg to stay in D.C. The sexy bet is for him to go home to San Diego, with the Padres rumored to be interested in pushing for the hometown ace. The Friars landed Machado on a fat deal in 2019, so laying 10-1 odds on San Diego feels like a savvy play here.

Anthony Rendon, 3B, Nationals

If the Nationals lose out on Strasburg, they could easily funnel all that money to Rendon, who made his own case for MVP with his torrid postseason run. Washington already offered him a deal in the neighborhood of $210 million over seven years, but Rendon, a Scott Boras client, will test the market, anyway.

That opens the door for a team like the White Sox, who aggressively pursued Machado last summer and are projected to have one of the lowest payrolls in MLB in 2020. General manager Rick Hahn has suggested the team would get creative with its infield to accommodate an incoming star, and Rendon could be that star.

Madison Bumgarner, P, Giants

Bumgarner was one of the most pursued names at the trade deadline, so it wouldn't be surprising for him to say goodbye to the only team he's ever known. The Braves and Yankees were both discussed as potential new clubs for the southpaw, though they - as well as the Phillies and Astros - were on Bumgarner's limited no-trade list.

It may mean nothing more than a strategic play by the pitcher to block a deal to a contender, yet even that suggests he values staying in San Francisco more than chasing a title. If he does leave, the Astros are intriguing, as they helped rehabilitate Justin Verlander's career and could sell a similar idea to Bumgarner.

C Jackson Cowart is a betting writer for theScore. He's an award-winning journalist with stops at The Charlotte Observer, The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Times Herald-Record, and BetChicago. He's also a proud graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, and his love of sweet tea is rivaled only by that of a juicy prop bet. Find him on Twitter @CJacksonCowart.