PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox completed a six-player trade Wednesday afternoon that will send Joel Hanrahan out of town.

According to a press release from the team, the Pirates have acquired pitchers Mark Melancon and Stolmy Pimentel along with infielders Jerry Sands and Ivan DeJesus Jr. in exchange for Joel Hanrahan and Brock Holt.

General Manager Neal Huntington said it was hard to part ways with Hanrahan, but believes the trade sets the team up well both in the short and long term.

“While acknowledging that trading Joel Hanrahan was a difficult decision, we are pleased that the direct result will be the addition of three players who will very likely impact our major league club this season plus a pitcher who will add to our deep and talented pitching prospect base,” Huntington said in a statement.

Melancon went 0-2 with a 6.20 ERA in 41 appearances with the Red Sox last season. He also had 11 saves with a 0.83 ERA in 21 relief appearances with the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Pawtucket.

Sands and DeJesus Jr. were acquired in the blockbuster deal that sent Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett to the Los Angeles Dodgers in August.

Sands hit .296 with 26 home runs and 107 RBI in Triple-A last season, while DeJesus Jr. hit .295 in 60 games with Triple-A Albuquerque.

Pimentel has spent the last six years in the Red Sox’ minor league system and went 6-7 with a 4.59 ERA in 22 starts for Double-A Portland this year.

Melancon, Sands and Pimentel have already been added to the 40-man roster for the Pirates.

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