Hanrahan, Holt Deal Done; Four Players Traded Away

It's not quite a megadeal, but it's pretty big. Joel Hanrahan will become the Sox closer, and infielder Brock Holt (pictured) will join the team. Hanrahan is 31 and one of the National League's best closers. Holt is 24, and hit well last season, but only played 24 games.

Gone are Jerry Sands, Mark Melancon, Stolmy Pimentel, and Ivan De Jesus. Sands and De Jesus were acquired in the megadeal with the Dodgers last season. Pimentel is 22 and a pitcher in AA. Melancon famously stumbled out of the block last year, but recovered well.

Sox manager John Farrell took the unusual (but smart, I think) step of announcing immediately that Hanrahan is the closer, not Andrew Bailey. As noted in the link above. he's spoken to both of them already.