Pirates general manager Neal Huntington confirmed Wednesday that Jason Grilli will take over as closer following the trade of Joel Hanrahan. That was the assumption already, but now it's official. Grilli, 36, has quietly posted a 2.76 ERA and 127/37 K/BB ratio in 91 1/3 innings over the past two seasons. He should be a popular sleeper target in fantasy leagues.

With Joel Hanrahan getting dealt to the Red Sox, Jason Grilli is expected to take over as the Pirates closer. The 36-year-old right-hander has re-invented himself as a setup man, posting a 2.76 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 127/37 K/BB ratio over 91 1/3 innings. As crazy as it sounds, as long as Grilli can maintain his strong strikeout rate and improved command, there's no reason he can't be successful in this new role. He could be a fantastic bargain on draft day.

Pirates re-signed RHP Jason Grilli to a two-year, $6.75 million contract. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman and Scott Miller passed along the contract details. It's a nice pay day for Grilli, who has compiled a 2.76 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 91 innings over the past two seasons. The Pirates will be happy to have him back in a set-up capacity next season, but he could get a crack at the closer role if the club trades Joel Hanrahan this offseason.

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports that Jason Grilli will get $6.75 million during his new two-year deal with the Pirates. Grilli reportedly had better offers elsewhere, but preferred to stay in Pittsburgh. The 36-year-old has emerged as a dominant set-up man late in his career, posting a 2.76 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 91 innings over the past two seasons. He could get a chance at the closer role next season if the Pirates end up trading Joel Hanrahan.

Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that Jason Grilli has agreed to a two-year deal with the Pirates. Financial terms aren't known. Grilli has quietly blossomed into one of the better relievers in the National League over the last two years, posting a 2.76 ERA while striking out a whopping 127 over 91 1/3 innings. The 36-year-old right-hander will return as Joel Hanrahan's setup man in 2013 and could take over the ninth inning if the Pirates wind up dealing their closer.

According to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Jason Grilli is considering a two-year offer from the Pirates, as well as "similar offers" from the Blue Jays and Cubs. The Giants had also been in on the righty-hander but dropped out because they were hesitant to offer more than one year. Reports surfaced earlier Thursday that Grilli had agreed to take the Pirates' offer, but apparently it's not a done deal yet. Biertempfel adds that there were "no indications Thursday night that Grilli had asked teams to revise their offers or that he was reopening the bidding," so it sounds like he'll make a decision soon.

NBC Sports' Craig Calcaterra reports that the Pirates have re-signed free agent righty Jason Grilli. Grilli had also been drawing interest from the Cubs, Blue Jays and Giants. But the Bucs apparently made the best offer. The 36-year-old has registered a fantastic 2.76 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 127/37 K/BB ratio in 91 1/3 innings over the past two seasons with Pittsburgh. He should be a valuable bullpen piece again in 2013.

Jason Grilli is deciding between the Cubs, Blue Jays, Giants and Pirates, hears MLB.com's Peter Gammons. A decision is expected to come soon. Grilli, 36, has compiled a 2.76 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 127/37 K/BB ratio in 91 1/3 innings over the past two seasons. He is represented by former MLB slugger Gary Sheffield.

Jason Grilli's agent, Gary Sheffield, told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe that he feels he's getting close to a deal. Sheffield wouldn't reveal the team, but the Pirates have expressed interest in bringing him back. The 36-year-old is a pretty good bet to land a multi-year deal after compiling an excellent 2.76 ERA to go along with 127 strikeouts in 91 1/3 innings over the past two season.

Jon Heyman of CBS Sports hears that free agent reliever Jason Grilli is drawing interest from 10 teams. The Pirates are interested in bringing him back, but the competition may inflate his asking price beyond their comfort level. The 36-year-old is looking for a nice pay day after posting a 2.91 ERA and 90 strikeouts over 58 2/3 innings this past season.