Cincinnati Reds Call Up Fan Favorite, Place Emilio Pagan on Injured List

Pagan left Tuesday night's game on a cart.

May 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Emilio Pagan (15) reacts to an injury during the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds called up Tejay Antone on Wednesday afternoon and placed Emilio Pagan on the injured list with a hamstring injury.

The Reds are also expected to get reliever Pierce Johnson back from the Bereavement List and will option Chase Petty to Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding roster move, according to Gordon Wittenmyer.

Brandon Williamson was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list with left shoulder fatigue.

Pagan left Tuesday night's game after throwing just one pitch. He immediately grabbed his left hamstring and fell to the ground in pain.

Francona provided an update on Tuesday night.

"He's going to get scanned in the morning, I think at 8:50," he said. "We will know a lot more then. He's certainly going to be an IL. We just need to see the extent of how bad he did it because you could see by his reaction that he was struggling."

Two weeks ago, Pagan seemed to be favoring his hamstring, but he never went on the injured list. Francona was asked about that and if it was still bothering him.

"I just went and saw him and he said he hadn't felt it," Francona said. "He said he warmed up fine. He said, 'I would never do that.' I believe him."

With Pagan out, the Reds will need someone to step up in the bulpen

Tejay Antone is a Feel Good Story

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tejay Antone (70) exits the game after throwing one pitch in the sixth inning of an MLB baseball game against the New York Mets, Sunday, April 7, 2024, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. | Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tejay Antone has always been a fan favorite. He's coming back from three Tommy John surgeries. Despite not making the team out of Spring Training, Antone went down to Triple-A Louisville and performed well and earned his way back.

In 12 games for Louisville, Antone gave up just three earned runs on six hits. He walked six and struck out 15 batters.

After Antone tore his UCL in 2024, he thought he was going to retire.

“I was going to retire,” he told Charlie Goldsmith in the spring. “I was going to hang it up and move on. I don’t think anyone would have thought anything of it. I had three elbow surgeries in professional baseball. I told my wife I want to retire, move on and become a coach.”

He desperately wanted to make the team out of camp, but with him not being on the 40-man roster, it was a long shot. He is ready to compete and show people why you should never give up.

“If I’m healthy and out there competing, that will talk for itself,” Antone said. “I think (Francona) knows who I was (in 2020 and 2021). I’m a new guy now. I have to pitch to my strengths, spin the ball well and throw a lot of strikes.”

Antone throws a fastball, slider, slurve, and curveball. Regardless of how he looks, it's a fantastic story and he's an easy player to root for.