The Boston Red Sox are close to acquiring some late-inning relief help.
The Red Sox have traded for Pittsburgh’s Joel Hanrahan, Jim Bowden of ESPN reports. The Red Sox will reportedly give up prospects Stolmy Pimentel and Jerry Sands, although details are still in flux.
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Sands came to the Red Sox in the August deal that sent Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto to the Dodgers.
Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports that the deal includes six players overall.
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But Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe says the size of the deal shrank when the Red Sox were unwilling to give up shortstop Jose Iglesias.
The deal was first reported by Gordon Edes of ESPN.com. Edes said it’s unclear what Boston will be giving the Pirates for the relief pitcher but noted it will be a “significant return.”
Hanrahan has been an All-Star for the last two seasons for Pittsburgh. He has a 3.74 career ERA and 96 saves in six seasons. His best season came in 2011, when he had a 1.83 ERA, 1.049 WHIP, 40 saves and 61 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings.
Hanrahan, who had 36 saves and a 2.72 ERA in 2012, made $4.1 million last season and could earn up to $7 million in 2013.
