After an awkward exchange following Game 7 of the World Series in which he said he was "not employed by the team," free-agent Gerrit Cole, a front-runner for the AL Cy Young Award, said his "thank you" to the Houston Astros and their fans via social media on Thursday.

"Last night was a tough one for us and the heartbreak hasn't gotten any easier today," Cole said Thursday on Twitter. "Before I became an Astro I didn't know much about Houston, but after just two years you have made it feel like home. So here's what I know now. You have been overwhelmingly friendly, welcoming, and kind to my family and me. The Astros organization has been such a pleasure to play for, the Cranes are indeed special people and great owners. I've met lifelong friends on the team and in the community and learned a little about pitching along the way.

"... This is a relationship between a team and it's fans like no other that I know. Thank you for making us better people and better players. This was a great season. We have a lot to be proud of."

To Houston: pic.twitter.com/1gzVByOUWI

— Gerrit Cole (@GerritCole45) October 31, 2019

Cole set an Astros team record by winning his last 16 regular-season decisions and topped the AL with a career-best 2.50 ERA. His career-high 326 strikeouts were the most in the majors and set a franchise record that had stood since 1979 when J.R. Richard fanned 313.

Cole and Astros teammate Justin Verlander are the front-runners for the AL Cy Young Award.

When asked by a team official to meet with reporters after their 6-2 loss to the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, Cole, who was wearing a Boras Corp. hat, said "I'm not employed by the team." However, after agreeing to interviews, he started out with, "I guess as a representative of myself ..."

Boras is represented by agent Scott Boras, and is poised to command a big payday on the free agent market.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Britain's Kyle Edmund pushed world number one Novak Djokovic before fading to a straight-set defeat in the Paris Masters third round.

Edmund, expected to be Great Britain's last pick for next month's Davis Cup finals in Madrid, lost 7-6 (9-7) 6-1 against the 32-year-old Serb.

Edmund, 24, caused Djokovic problems before the top seed finally clinched the opener with his seventh set point.

But Edmund could not maintain his level as Djokovic ran away with victory.

The 16-time Grand Slam champion, who has been suffering with illness and sounded hoarse in his post-match interview, started to hit the ball cleaner in a second set where he made just four unforced errors.

Despite defeat, Edmund can take plenty of positives from an encouraging week which should seal his place in the British team going to Madrid for the newly revamped Davis Cup finals.

The Yorkshireman came into the final ATP Masters tournament of the year without a win since the start of August, but has enjoyed a timely return to form in the French capital.

Edmund, who had lost eight matches in a row, has stolen a march on Cameron Norrie to be named in Leon Smith's squad following victories over Lithuanian qualifier Ricardas Berankis and Argentine 14th seed Diego Schwartzman this week.

Edmund looked confident and assured for most of the first set, matching Djokovic until a couple of mistakes as he served to stay in the opener at 6-5 gave the Serb two set points.

However, he rallied to force a tie-break and saved four more set points before finally buckling when Djokovic hit a precise forehand down the line.

The second set was a different story, however, as Edmund ran out of steam and won just nine points in a one-sided set.

Four-time Paris champion Djokovic will now play Greek seventh seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who beat Australian Alex de Minaur 6-3 6-4, in the quarter-finals.

In the same half of the draw, Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov produced a powerful performance to beat Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem 6-3 6-2 and will face Chile's Cristian Garin next.

AUSTIN, Texas – After more than two years of work, officials from the FIA and Formula One have revealed the new regulations for the 2021 Formula One World Championship.

The details of the new regulations were revealed to members of the media on Thursday in advance of the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas.

The regulations are designed to promote closer racing and more balanced competition, as well as bringing economic and sporting sustainability to Formula One.

Some of the goals of the new regulations are as follows:

– Cars that are better able to battle on the track

– A more balanced competition on the track

– A sport where success is determined more by how well a team spends its money not how much it spends – including, for the first time, a fully enforceable cost cap ($175 million per season) in the FIA rules

– A sport that is a better business for those participating and more attractive to potential new entrants

– A sport that continues to be the world’s premier motor racing competition and the perfect showcase of cutting-edge technology

The regulations have been unanimously approved and will be married to a new governance and profit sharing structure that will enable the sport to grow and improve while further strengthening the business model.

These agreements are in an advanced stage with the teams.

“Formula One is an incredible sport with a great history, heroes and fans all over the world,” said Chase Carey, Chairman and CEO of Formula One. “We deeply respect the DNA of Formula One, which is a combination of great sporting competition, uniquely talented and courageous drivers, dedicated teams and cutting-edge technology. The goal has always been to improve the competition and action on the track and at the same time make the sport a healthier and attractive business for all.

“The approval of the rules by the World Motor Sport Council is a watershed moment and will help deliver more exciting wheel-to-wheel racing for all our fans. The new rules have emerged from a detailed two-year process of examining technical, sporting, and financial issues in order to develop a package of regulations.

“We made many changes during the process as we received input by the teams and other stakeholders and we firmly believe we achieved the goals we had set out to deliver. These regulations are an important and major step, however, this is an ongoing process and we will continue to improve these regulations and take further steps to enable our sport to grow and achieve its full potential.

“One of the most important initiatives we will be addressing as we go forward is the environmental impact of our sport. We already have the most efficient engine in the world and in the next few weeks we will be launching plans to reduce and ultimately eliminate environmental impact of our sport and business. We have always been at the leading edge of the automobile industry and we believe we can play a leadership role on this critical issue, as well.”

CONCORD, N.C. – Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series regular Hudson O’Neal is in search of a ride after announcing he is parting ways with SSI Motorsports.

The team informed O’Neal Monday that they would not be fielding a dirt late model team next year, meaning the 2017 Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series Rookie of the Year would have to find a new car to drive.

“As a lot of you are aware, I have been driving for SSI Motorsports and Todd Burns for the last four years,” O’Neal said. “It has been a pleasure working with such an amazing car owner and all the people that surround that program. I’m saddened to inform that SSI Motorsports and myself will be parting ways after Charlotte and will no longer be racing together for the 2020 season. The motorsports stable will not be fielding a race car next year and they have decided to step away. I am grateful for every minute I have been able to spend with the Burns family and the whole Sub-Surface of Indiana operation. I have built many friendships that will last a lifetime.”

O’Neal started driving a crate late model for the Todd and Vickie Burns-owned team in 2016 before shifting to super late model competition. This year O’Neal and SSI Motorsports have entered 75 events, earning five wins along the way. He finished seventh in the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series standings this year.

O’Neal and SSI Motorsports plan to enter one final race together – the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series portion of the Can-Am World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Nov. 7-9.

“My 2020 plans are yet to be determined, as I am searching for a new opportunity in the dirt late model community,” O’Neal said. “I want to thank everyone that has made these last four years possible and all the amazing sponsors I have had that helped me live my dream. I also want to thank every single one of my awesome fans that support me. I am far from done and I hope for an opportunity soon.”

MIAMI – Visiting five of the most iconic tracks in the Western half of the United States, the Trans-Am Series presented by Pirelli West Coast Championship returns next year for its fourth season with six events.

The Trans-Am Series initiated a growth strategy on the West coast three years ago with the launch of the West Coast Championship. The West Coast Championship hit a record entry in this year with the field growing by 27 percent, with additional growth anticipated in 2020 with the introduction of the new Xtreme GT class.

“We are so happy to see the growing interest in the West Coast Championship,” said John Clagett, President of the Trans-Am Race Company. “The interest has been strong, and we’ve grown the schedule for the 2020 season to help continue that trend. Our paddock has been vocal about where they want to race, and I’m pleased that we’ll be able to visit some great tracks and generate more opportunity for the teams next season.”

The Trans-Am West Coast Championship will kick off at Sonoma Raceway on March 14-15 in conjunction with the NASA event. The series then moves up the Golden Coast from Sonoma to Willows, Calif., for a visit to Thunderhill Raceway Park April 4-5.

The West Coast Championship will return to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca May 1-3. This season marked the first full Trans-Am Series appearance at the Monterey circuit since 2004.

Once again, the home of the infamous Corkscrew turn will play host for the first of two weekends that will stage Trans-Am National and West Coast championship combined races in 2020. The dual-championship events allow the competitors from the Trans Am West Coast Championship to take to the track in competition alongside the full field of National Championship entrants.

“This year was a huge success with having both series at Laguna Seca, and the racing was some of the best all season,” said Clagett. “Having two events that combine the West Coast schedule with the National Championship will likely foster more of the crossover that we saw this year in terms of West Coast programs growing to the National level.”

Following a short summer break, the West Coast Championship will be back in full force, running alongside the Sportscar Vintage Racing Ass’n for the Portland Vintage Racing Festival at Portland Int’l Raceway July 24-26.

The roar of Trans-Am machinery then returns Aug. 29-30 to the 160-foot of elevation changes that make each lap at Sonoma Raceway a driver favorite for its penultimate event of the season.

Moving to a November event date, the Circuit of The Americas will play host to the Texas-sized 2020 finale Nov. 6-8, and will feature the first season finale weekend for both the West Coast and National Championships.

“Circuit of The Americas is always a highlight and having both our National and West Coast finales as part of the same event is a great way to close out the year,” said Clagett. “Our Honors Banquet is a very big event and being able to celebrate both of these championships at the seasons end at CoTA should be a fantastic close to the year.”

Responding to racers with focused time and resources that were looking to step up to Trans-Am, the series introduced the Southern and Northern Cups in 2018. The two regional groupings of Trans-Am competitions were designed to reward competitors and teams that tackle certain segments of the Trans-Am schedule, but do not undertake a full season commitment (competitors who undertake a full season are not eligible for cup championships).

In 2020, seven venues from the Detroit Grand Prix to Watkins Glen Int’l are reserved for the Northern Cup challenge while the Southern campaign will focus on five events ranging from Sebring Int’l Raceway to Circuit of The Americas.

2020 Trans-Am Series West Coast Championship

March 14-15 – Sonoma Raceway – Sonoma, Calif.
April 4-5 – Thunderhill Raceway Park – Willows, Calif.
May 1-3 – Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca – Monterey, Calif.
July 24-26 – Portland Int’l Raceway – Portland, Ore.
Aug. 29-30 – Sonoma Raceway – Sonoma, Calif.
Nov. 6-8 – Circuit of the Americas – Austin, Texas

New coach Vlatko Andonovski wasted little time expanding the player pool in naming his first U.S. women's national team roster.

With FIFA Player of the Year Megan Rapinoe and World Cup Silver Ball winner Alex Morgan unavailable for selection due to injury and pregnancy, respectively, Andonovski selected 24 players for games against Sweden on Nov. 7 in Columbus, Ohio, and Costa Rica on Nov. 10 in Jacksonville, Florida.

The roster for the team's final games this year includes three first-time call-ups: goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe and defenders Alana Cook and Imani Dorsey.

Formerly the coach of Reign FC in the National Women's Soccer League, Andonovski is familiar with Bledsoe and Dorsey, who can play multiple positions, from their play with the Washington Spirit and Sky Blue FC, respectively. Cook's inclusion indicates a willingness to look beyond the league in which he coached seven seasons. A Stanford product, Cook now plays for Paris Saint-Germain in France.

In addition to Rapinoe, who played for Andonovski the past two seasons with Reign FC, and Morgan, World Cup winners Tierna Davidson, Crystal Dunn, Ali Krieger and Kelley O'Hara are unavailable due to injury. U.S. Soccer indicated the five injured players will attend the early portion of camp before leaving to continue their rehabilitation.

In all, 17 members of the World Cup-winning team will participate in on-field activities in Andonovski's first camp. Margaret Purce, Casey Short, Andi Sullivan and Lynn Williams, who were not on the World Cup team but were called into camps under former coach Jill Ellis, were also named to the roster.

"Mostly, this is a great opportunity for me to get to know the players, get to know the system and start building relationships," Andonovski said. "If there is one goal that I want to accomplish in this first camp is to change the focus from the World Cup and the Victory Tour. It was a tremendous summer for this team, but now the approach is different. We have new goals, and the most important thing is to shift the mentality and start moving forward because Olympic qualifying is just around the corner."

Olympic qualifying is expected to begin in late January.

Andonovski will be the first U.S. coach since Pia Sundhage in 2008 to debut against a top-10 opponent. Sundhage's team beat a Canadian opponent ranked 10th in the world at the time, while Sweden is currently fifth in the FIFA rankings. The U.S. beat Sweden in the World Cup group stage this summer, although the Swedish team went on to finish third.

Sweden also eliminated the U.S. in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympics.

Thursday's game will be Andonovski's first at any level of international competition.

England allrounder Moeen Ali has signed for Cape Town Blitz in this year's Mzansi Super League. He joins as cover for Wahab Riaz and will be available for the first two games of the competition.

Moeen missed out on a Test central contract with England for 2019-20, after opting to take a break from the longest format, and has been rested for the T20I series in New Zealand. "I feel like I want to enjoy my batting and this will give me a bit of a break," he told ESPNcricinfo last month.

Moeen was part of England's World Cup-winning squad in the summer and will likely be involved in the white-ball legs of the tour of South Africa after Christmas. After being dropped from the Test squad during the Ashes, he rediscovered his form while leading Worcestershire to within one ball of defending their Vitality Blast title in September.

He has also had two seasons with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL, and his signing was hailed by Cape Town Blitz head coach Ashwell Prince.

"Moeen brings huge international experience to the team and in county cricket, he won the T20 Blast in 2018 with Worcestershire Rapids and he led them to the 2019 final, so we're looking forward to having him in Cape Town," Prince said.

Moeen said: "I'm very excited to be part of the MSL and joining Cape Town Blitz for the start of the tournament. I'm looking forward to playing with and against some world-class players."

Wahab, the left-arm seamer, was signed in last month's MSL draft but is currently involved in Pakistan's T20I squad in Australia, with the third match of the series overlapping with Cape Town's opening fixture. He is expected to be available from November 14, when Blitz play their first home game.

PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies have hired former Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price as their pitching coach.

Price joins new manager Joe Girardi's staff after going 279-387 with Cincinnati over parts of five seasons from 2014 to 2018. He previously was pitching coach for the Reds (2010-13), Diamondbacks (2006-09) and Mariners (2000-05).

He replaces Chris Young, who was fired along with manager Gabe Kapler. The Phillies retained several coaches from Kapler's staff before hiring Girardi last week.

The team still has a vacancy for hitting coach.

The New York Yankees have declined their $20 million club option for Edwin Encarnacion for next season, the team announced Thursday.

With the Yankees exercising the $5 million buyout, the first baseman/designated hitter becomes a free agent.

Encarnacion, who missed most of the final two months of this season with an oblique injury, had 34 home runs, 86 RBIs and a .244 batting average. After he was traded from the Cleveland Indians to the Seattle Mariners in the offseason, he was again traded to the Yankees in June.

He started 57 games at first base this season. Encarnacion, who turns 37 in January, missed nearly a month of action with a fractured right wrist and again landed on the injured list late in the season with an oblique strain.

Also, the Yankees said UCL reconstruction surgery for outfielder Aaron Hicks went as expected on Wednesday.