Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagan was carted off the field with an injury on Tuesday.
The Cincinnati Reds lost their fifth straight game on Tuesday in Game 2 of a four-game set against the Chicago Cubs. Once again, Cincinnati held a late lead only to watch the bullpen let it slip away. But the biggest concern of the night was not the loss, it was what happened to closer Emilio Pagan.
Pagan entered in the bottom of the ninth inning with the score tied 2-2. On his very first pitch, he grabbed the back of his left leg as he completed his delivery. He jumped off the mound, collapsed to the ground in clear pain and had to be carted off the field. For a Reds team that has struggled recently, the sight was alarming.
On Wednesday, the Reds made a roster decision. Pagan was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Right-hander Tejay Antone earned a promotion from Triple-A in a corresponding move.
While speaking with reporters ahead of Wednesday’s game with the Cubs, Pagan revealed that he had suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. Doctors told him he will likely miss 4-8 weeks, which Pagan described as a positive outcome considering the pain he felt Tuesday night.
He admitted he feared the worst. “Leaving the field yesterday I thought my season was done," Pagan said (h/t Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer).
The update brings some relief, but it still marks another setback in what has been a nightmare season for the 34-year-old veteran reliever. Pagan has struggled on the mound, converting just six of nine save opportunities while posting a 6.43 ERA across 15 appearances. Now he will miss several weeks at minimum.
This comes after Pagan signed a big contract with Cincinnati this past offseason, a deal paying him $10 million this year with a player option for 2027. While not a huge amount, it is a big commitment for the small-market Reds.
He earned that contract after a dominant 2025 campaign in which he posted a sub-3.00 ERA across 70 appearances and served as one of the most reliable late-inning arms in baseball. He simply has not resembled that version of himself in 2026.
Reds manager Terry Francona has not named a replacement closer, and with the bullpen already struggling, Pagan’s absence only adds to the uncertainty. Cincinnati will now lean on a mix of arms while hoping Pagan’s recovery stays on schedule for a return in June.