Bowden: Stolmy Pimentel, Jerry Sands Heading To Pittsburgh For Hanrahan

Jim Bowden confirms that Jerry Sands is part of the deal for Pittsburgh Pirates' closer Joel Hanrahan, and adds that another player on the 40-man -- one we've speculated could be included -- is headed to the Bucs as well. Pitching prospect Stolmy Pimentel, who has seen his career and stock slip since he was protected from the Rule 5 draft by the Red Sox a couple of years ago, is reportedly also part of the package for Hanrahan.

Pimentel still shows promise -- he's the #20 prospect in Boston's organization at Sox Prospects -- and is just going to be 23 years old in 2013, but he's incredibly inconsistent, and might not be a major-league arm at all. The thing is, if the Red Sox designated him for assignment, someone would just scoop him up, regardless of his struggles. He was also in line to use the last of his three options, meaning that if he didn't pitch himself into a major-league job all at once this year, Boston was going to have to put him in the majors or lose him just the same. Rather than see Pimentel go away for nothing, in order to get the 40-man spot back, he was destined to be included in one trade or another. It appears that this particular trade will do the trick.

Nothing is official yet, but Bowden seems to have a source in Pittsburgh's front office feeding him information quicker consistently.

[Update 4:55: Jon Heyman reports the Pirates will receive four players in total from the Red Sox, with one other besides Hanrahan coming to Boston. No names are given, but you'd likely be safe in thinking that at least one of them is a reliever, given Boston's pen was overflowing even prior to getting Hanrahan, and the Pirates are in need of bullpen help. Clayton Mortensen is out of options, so he's a likely candidate.]