Sonny Gray has declined the one-year, $20.325 million qualifying offer extended to him by the Twins, sending the veteran starting pitcher into free agency for the first time in his career and the Twins on the hunt for another starter to add to their rotation.

Gray had long been expected to decline the qualifying offer in search of a multi-year deal on the open market.

Now, it’s finally official.

As compensation, the Twins will receive a draft pick for his departure if he signs elsewhere. If Gray signs a deal above $50 million, which is the most likely scenario, the Twins will get a pick between the first round and Competitive Balance Round A. If his deal is less than that, the Twins receive a pick after Competitive Balance Round B.

Gray, 34, finished his second season in Minnesota with a 2.79 earned-run average across 184 innings pitched. His durability and consistency helped lead to him becoming a Cy Young Award finalist for the second time in his career. The award winner, expected to be Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, will be announced during a live show that begins at 5 p.m. CT Wednesday.

Though the Twins expressed obvious interest in retaining Gray, he is likely to command more money as a free agent than the Twins offered, especially because they are expected to reduce their payroll next season.

Gray isn’t the Twins’ only 2023 rotation mainstay becoming a free agent. Kenta Maeda, acquired in 2020, is also a free agent, making acquiring another starting pitcher an offseason focus for the club.

Even with both set for free agency, the Twins still have ace Pablo López, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober penciled into rotation spots, as well as Chris Paddack, who made it back from his second Tommy John surgery near the end of the 2023 season to pitch in relief.

Louie Varland, a St. Paul native, is another potential rotation option, though the Twins might prefer to have him be the sixth starter on the depth chart rather than the fifth or to move him to the bullpen, where he excelled late last season.

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