Reds Closer Emilio Pagán Takes Major Step Toward Return With Rehab Appearance

This is encouraging.

Mar 29, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagan (15) reacts after the victory over the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagan participated in his first rehab start since injuring his hamstring on May 5. Pagan threw just six pitches on Friday with Triple-A Louisville. In a 1-2-3 inning, he recorded a fly out, a ground out, and a line out. He will likely make at least one more rehab start before returning to the big league club. His start was originally scheduled for Thursday, but rain postponed the game to Friday.

While Still Under-Manned, the Bullpen is Getting Closer to Full Strength.

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

Getting a healthy Pagan back into the bullpen will be much needed. The bullpen has looked a bit better in recent weeks, cutting down on walks and keeping the team in ball games. Pagan has struggled this season; he has a 6.43 ERA with a .264 batting average against him in 14 innings. It was reported that he was dealing with a hamstring for a few weeks before it caused him to be carted off the field in Chicago.

The Reds recently activated Pierce Johnson from the injured list. He missed a few weeks due to elbow inflammation. He struck out the only two batters he faced in his return on June 23 against the Milwaukee Brewers. 

"I feel really good," Johnson said on Sunday at Yankee Stadium before he was activated. "It was a good outing ... [and] it's a great crew down there. ... I really appreciate all the care they've given me and how we've gone about it. We've been really cautious."

Julian Garcia was promoted on the same day Johnson was activated. He made his big league debut on Tuesday against Milwaukee. The 31-year-old was drafted in 2016 and was out of baseball after the 2022 season. He was giving pitching lessons during the 2023 season.

The Reds signed Garcia in 2025, and he pitched in Double-A. He was promoted to Triple-A for this season and was lights-out. He was 3-0 with a 3.03 ERA.

“Pretty cool story," manager Terry Francona said. "The kid went back to independent ball, has really done just about anything and everything you could ask of somebody. I think we felt like he was very deserving of a shot. He’s just done really well. It will be kind of fun to see how he fits in.”

The Reds still have other options for the bullpen. Connor Phillips, who's currently on the 7-day injured list in Triple-A, has shown flashes of dominance at the big league level. He held a 10-inning scoreless streak towards the end of last season as the team was fighting for a playoff spot. Graham Ashcraft and Tony Santillan are each on the IL. Zach Maxwell and Luis Mey are both in Triple-A.

The Reds are 37-42 and are in last place in the NL Central. A healthy bullpen is going to be crucial if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Emilio Pagan worked a 1-2-3 inning for the Louisville Bats in his first appearance on his rehab assignment.

He needed just six pitches. #Reds pic.twitter.com/UN7dVAY1N8

— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) June 26, 2026