Report: Seager, Semien, other big names likely to sign before lockout

This Major League Baseball offseason might see some big-name free agents land jobs early in the proceedings for once.

Corey Seager and Marcus Semien are increasingly likely to sign before the current collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1 and causes a lockout, executives told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays both tendered one-year, $18.4-million qualifying offers to Seager and Semien, respectively. The pair is expected to reject those deals before the Nov. 17 deadline.

While Seager and Semien are both Scott Boras clients and were the only players specifically mentioned, Passan also notes that high-profile names from the starting pitcher market not under Boras' representation could also get pre-lockout deals.

That list could include Robbie Ray, Clayton Kershaw, Kevin Gausman, or Marcus Stroman, who aren't Boras clients, but also Max Scherzer or Carlos Rodon, who are.

MLB and the MLBPA originally ratified the current CBA ahead of the 2017 season, and it'll expire in less than three weeks. Unlike many other leagues, the agreement guarantees no hard cap on payrolls or individual salaries, which could incentivize some players to get their free-agent deals done under the old rules. However, in recent years, the penalties for exceeding the luxury tax have grown more punitive, resulting in many teams refusing to go over the thresholds.

On Thursday, a report emerged stating MLB had proposed a WAR-based algorithm to decide salary as opposed to the current arbitration system, which many see as archaic. A player agent reportedly said the MLBPA would never accept the model.