The Red Sox just sent out the following press release announcing the deal that brought Adam LaRoche to Boston in exchange for minor leaguers Hunter Strickland and Argenis Diaz (for the Pirates release, which includes quotes from Pittsburgh G.M. Neal Huntington on Diaz and Strickland, click here):

BOSTON, MA—The Red Sox today acquired first baseman Adam LaRoche from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for shortstop Argenis Diaz and right-handed pitcher Hunter Strickland.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

LaRoche, 29, is batting .247 (80-for-324) with 12 home runs and 40 RBI in 87 games for the Pirates this season. He ranks seventh in the National League with a .338 (54-for-160) average at home. Among current members of the Red Sox, only Jason Bay and Kevin Youkilis (each with 42) have more extra-base hits than LaRoche’s 38, 27 of which have come at PNC Park . The left-handed hitter has committed just one error in 836 total chances and ranks second among N.L. first basemen with a .999 fielding percentage.

He has reached double digits in home runs in each of his six Major League seasons, including a career-high 32 for Atlanta in 2006. Since 2004, only six other N.L. lefties have more round trippers. Overall, LaRoche owns a .269 career batting average with 123 homers and 426 RBI in 775 games with the Braves (2004-06) and Pirates (2007-09).

The former first-round draft pick has posted second-half OPS of .941 since 2006, 12th in the N.L. during that span. He has belted 10 of his 12 home runs off right-handers this season and owns an .866 OPS against righties since the start of the 2006 campaign. He has appeared in eight career post-season games, going 8-for-25 (.320) with two homers and 10 RBI.

Diaz, 22, hit .253 (70-for-277) with 24 RBI in 76 games at Double-A Portland this season. Originally signed by the Red Sox as a non-drafted free agent in July 2003, he is a career .268 hitter with four home runs and 127 RBI in six seasons in Boston ’s farm system.

Strickland, Boston ’s 19th selection (18th round) in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, was 5-4 with one save and a 3.35 ERA (31 ER/83.1 IP) in 18 appearances/12 starts for Single-A Greenville . In three professional seasons in the Red Sox organization, the 20-year-old posted a 10-9 record with one save and a 3.66 ERA.

The Red Sox also promoted shortstop Yamaico Navarro from Single-A Salem to Double-A Portland today. He hit .319 (30-for-94) with four homers and 17 RBI over 23 games with Boston ’s Carolina League affiliate this season.