Why Emilio Pagán Leaving the Reds Could Be A Blessing In Disguise

The Cincinnati Reds will officially be in the closer market this offseason now that free agent right-hander Emilio Pagán made a decision regarding his future.

The 35-year-old reached an agreement with the Detroit Tigers on a new one-year, $11 million contract on Tuesday, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

The news came after Pagán declined the $10 million player option for 2027 on his previous deal with Cincinnati. The signing also marked the first notable move after MLB free agency began last Monday.

Pagán wrapped up his final season in a Reds uniform with an ERA of 3.38 and 25 saves through 42.2 innings pitched. While losing him to another club for nothing may sting at first, the Reds could come out better on the other side.

With Pagán entering his age 36 season, he is a candidate for regression, especially as he missed 47 games this year with a left hamstring strain. 

Moreover, getting Pagán off the books means that president of baseball operations Nick Krall can turn his attention to younger and more durable options on the market while addressing other needs on Cincinnati's roster.

Left-hander Brock Burke comes to mind following an impressive year that saw him compile a 2.30 ERA and 74 strikeouts after making his way to the Reds via a trade from the Los Angeles Angels last offseason. At 30 years old, retaining him could make up for the veteran presence that Pagán left behind and provide some much-needed stability in the bullpen.

Furthermore, the Reds will finally be able to rectify their disappointing lineup full of pieces like Eugenio Suárez and Ke'Bryan Hayes who didn't live up to expectations. An intriguing target that Cincinnati could turn to is former Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ.

The 32-year-old Happ slashed .218/.326/.412 while recording a .738 OPS and driving in 68 runs. His defensive value, however, cannot be overlooked. Happ ranked in the 72nd percentile for outs above average this year and is a four-time Gold Glove Award winner.

Pagán leaving also frees up the Reds to pursue Japanese standout Teruaki Sato who batted .306 and drove in 106 runs for NPB, a performance that ultimately won him the NPB Triple Crown last season. Nonetheless, whether he would be able to replicate those numbers against MLB-caliber pitching is to be determined.

With all that being said, Krall still shouldn't take Pagán's departure lightly and must act fast before all of the top closer options get scooped up by opposing clubs.