Baseball is back. After months of negotiations between the MLBPA and MLB, the two sides finally reached terms on an agreement for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, paving the way for the Opening Day on April 7. Free agency could be opened up as soon as Thursday night, once the deal gets finalized, and there are a plethora of players still on the market that need to be locked down. With that in mind, here are four free agency deals that need to happen as soon as the market opens back up.

4 MLB free agency deals that need to go down as soon as possible

4. Carlos Correa to the New York Yankees

Carlos Correa remains a free agent, having failed to sign a new deal prior to the MLB lockout on Dec. 1. Now that the flood gates are set to re-open on free agency, Correa and his agents will be fielding calls all through the night, and the Yankees are bound to be among the teams at the forefront of the conversations. The Yankees have a dire need at shortstop, and Correa is a solid defender and has been a productive hitter throughout his career. With Gleyber Torres going as far as to admit he's more suited to playing second base, the move to bring in Correa makes more sense than ever for the Yankees. What better way to celebrate the return of baseball than with a big splash in free agency?

3. Trevor Story to the Houston Astros

Assuming Carlos Correa doesn't re-up with the Houston Astros, the team could look to replace him with one of the best shortstops in free agency in Trevor Story. The Colorado Rockies star has been one of baseball's best hitting middle infielders throughout his career, and despite a bit of a down year in 2021, has a proven track record of success. The Astros would miss Correa, who they drafted first overall back in 2012, but they could do significantly worse than landing Story as the shortstop to take his place. The two-time MLB All-Star is 29-years-old, so he could patrol the shortstop position in Houston for years to come if the team decides to move for him.

2. Clayton Kershaw to the Texas Rangers

Clayton Kershaw is reportedly still mulling over his future, and there is some belief that he'll return to his hometown and join the Texas Rangers in the offseason. The Rangers already doled out a huge chunk of cash to Marcus Semien and Kershaw's ex-Dodger teammate Corey Seager, and they could look to add Kershaw to their offseason haul, completing a trifecta of additions in Texas. Kershaw likely only has two realistic landing spots, the Dodgers and Rangers, and both places make a ton of sense for the three-time MLB Cy Young award winner. While his durability has come into question in recent seasons, there's no question the Rangers would be a great landing spot for him to serve as the ace of the rotation.

1. Freddie Freeman to the Atlanta Braves

The Braves have been lagging their feet when it comes to bringing Freeman back to Atlanta, and it's time they get the deal done. The rumors of interest from other teams during the MLB lockout should have been more than enough to get the organization's heart racing over the prospect of Freeman departing via free agency, so they should quell the fear of fans in Atlanta and bring him back as soon as possible. After winning the World Series in 2021, the Braves should have no questions about bringing back the franchise legend, who is still playing at incredibly productive levels after 12 seasons in the big leagues.