Baseball fans rejoice! It appears as though baseball is back. Earlier Thursday, it was reported that the MLB owners and the MLBPA have reached a tentative deal, ending the lockout.

With baseball back in business, that means it's time for free agency again. The Boston Red Sox have already been busy this offseason, with the acquisitions of James Paxton, Rich Hill and Michael Wacha. But there are still a lot of holes to fill if Boston wants to win another World Series.

The Red Sox have been a hard franchise to figure out the last handful of years. They seemingly go from World Series champions, to cellar dwellars, back to contention every other year. Last season, Boston was expected to have a down year, especially with the lack of pitching on the roster. Yet, the Red Sox won 92 games, making the postseason. They defeated the division rival New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays, only to succumb to the Houston Astros in the ALCS. But with that much success comes pressure to take the next step.

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So, let's examine those holes and figure out exactly which free agents the Red Sox should go after.

3 free agents the Red Sox must sign now that MLB is back

3. RELIEF PITCHER YUSMEIRO PETIT

It's no secret that the Boston Red Sox need some bullpen help. Closer Matt Barnes took a big step back in 2021. Boston promoted the kid Garrett Whitlock to be the closer. He clearly has the stuff, but will he handle the pressure situations on a consistent basis?

Ryan Brasier is still there, but beyond those three, there are not many arms Boston can count on.

Yusmeiro Petit would fit nicely on this roster. For one, he is a savvy veteran who has pitched in Fenway Park. The nooks and crannies of the oldest park in baseball requires some inside knowledge. Petit has that. However, because of his age (37), the Red Sox likely can land him for relatively cheap.

Last season, Petit had a great year but got very unlucky. From 2018 through 2020, Petit put up stellar numbers. Then last season, he saw his ERA balloon to 3.92. But his WHIP of 1.03 speaks to something else, as do his eight wins out of the pen.

Petit is not a strikeout artist. He puts the ball in play, which can be dangerous in Boston. But this is the right kind of move to allow the Red Sox to fill other needs with more of their money.

2. UTILITY INFIELDER JED LOWRIE

Again, this would not be the sexiest move Boston could make, but it would be a smart one. Jed Lowrie spent the first four years of his career in Boston in a platoon role. Since he left, his career seemed to take off. Lowrie has been a consistent hitter regardless of where he hits in the lineup. He makes good contact, can move on the bases, and is a decent glove in the field.

Last season, the Red Sox got incredible play from Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers. But when they needed some rest, the replacements on the infield were a train wreck. Between Marwin Gonzalez, Danny Santana and Jonathan Arauz, Gonzales led the trio with a .202 batting average. Yeah, he was the best option off the bench.

Lowrie is a switch-hitter who can hit lefties and righties equally well. Again, he also knows Fenway. Also 37 years old, the Red Sox would likely get him for much cheaper than his last contract. That hopefully allows Boston to go all-in on the number one player on this list.

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1. POWER HITTING FIRST BASEMAN KYLE SCHWARBER

Wait, the top player on this list is someone who was on the team last year. Yes, yes it is. There are a number of reasons why Kyle Schwarber should be the top priority.

Most people point to the Red Sox bullpen as one key need. The others are a power-hitting lefty, an outfielder, and a first baseman. With Schwarber, you get all three. Obviously, his is not great defensively in the outfield, but you can mitigate that somewhat playing him in front of the Green Monster or at first base.

Last year, between his time in Washington and Boston, Schwarber hit 32 home runs. That does not include the four bombs he hit in the playoffs for Boston, endearing him to Red Sox fans everywhere.

He seemed to be a perfect fit last season. Finally, Schwarber was in a place where he was asked to simply mash. He can mash. He actually hit lefties better than both Red Sox outfielders last season also. Schwarber hit .313 vs lefties last season. He finished inside the top 10 in the league in both barrel percentage and hard-hit percentage. On top of that, he cut down his chase rate by about 7 percentage points last season.

Ultimately, the outcome of this season will be determined by the performances of Paxton, Hill and Wacha. If they all struggle, which could happen, it won't matter even if Chris Sale returns to form.