UPDATE: The deal is official. Sox executive vice president/general manager Ben Cherington announced Friday night that they’ve acquired catcher Ryan Hanigan from the San Diego Padres in exchange for third baseman Will Middlebrooks.

Hanigan, 34, was sent to the Padres from the Tampa Bay Rays earlier Friday before being flipped to the Sox in the evening. The native of Andover batted .218 with fiver homers in 84 games with the Rays in 2014, and led the majors in caught stealing rate in 2012 and 2013.

Ryan Hanigan's ranks among active MLB catchers (min. 500 G): Catcher's ERA: 1st, 3.61 Fielding Pct: 1st, .996 CS percentage: 3rd, 34% — Jon Shestakofsky (@Shesta_Sox) December 20, 2014

Middlebrooks, 26, was simply a man without a position once the Sox signed Pablo Sandoval last month. He’s batted .213 with 19 homers and 168 strikeouts in 157 games since the start of 2013.


UPDATE: Contary to reports from earlier today, it appears David Ross will join Jon Lester in Chicago with the Cubs.

Sources: David Ross to #Cubs, two years, $5M. — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 19, 2014

ORIGINAL STORY: The Red Sox may have finally found a landing spot for Will Middlebrooks.

The Sox are nearing a deal to send the 26-year-old Middlebrooks to San Diego for catcher Ryan Hanigan, according to Yahoo! Sports.

Source: Padres nearing a deal that would send Ryan Hanigan to Boston for Will Middlebrooks. — Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 19, 2014

Middlebrooks peaked in his first year in Boston, hitting 15 home runs in 75 games during the 2012 season. His power and production dropped off dramatically, and with the Sox acquiring Pablo Sandoval this offseason, Middlebrooks became expendable.

In Hanigan, the Sox are getting an eight-year veteran with a career .256 average and .350 on-base percentage. He should be used to trades. The Rays sent him to San Diego two days ago as part of the Wil Myers deal. Hanigan hit .218 in 84 games with Tampa Bay last season.