Reds Receive Encouraging Injury News as Bullpen Reinforcements Near Return

The Reds bullpen has not been good over the last month, but they are one step closer to some reinforcements.

Pierce Johnson Is Scheduled For A Rehab Assignment

The Reds are sending reliever Pierce Johnson on a rehab assignment later this week. The news was announced by Jim Day during the Reds' pregame show prior to game one of the Reds series versus the New York Mets.

"You've gotta think it's going to be one or two with him," Day said. "He could be back quicker than others."

Johnson threw a live bullpen on Monday before the game, and it was said to have “gone well". Johnson has been out since May 27, when he was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. The 35-year-old has a 3.27 ERA in 22 innings pitched this season. He was being used as a back-end reliever once closer Emilio Pagan was placed on the injured list when he injured his hamstring in Chicago on May 6.

The Bullpen is Desperate For Help

Apr 30, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagan (15) shakes hands with catcher Tyler Stephenson (37) after the victory over the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The Reds' bullpen has been very bad since the calendar flipped to May and the team has dealt with injuries to three important contributors: Graham Aschcraft, Emilio Pagan, and Pierce Johnson. Getting Johnson back to the bullpen gives the team a more reliable reliever that they can turn to in late-inning situations.

Johnson has been effective when runners are on base. He leaves 83.3 percent of runners on base. His walk percentage is slightly higher than his career average, at 3.27 percent, but that is far better than what the Reds are currently throwing out there.

Emilio Pagan is scheduled to throw a live bullpen session on Friday, June 19, with the team in New York. He will throw a side bullpen session on Tuesday, and if everything goes to plan, he will go on a rehab assignment shortly after. Pagan went down in agony after straining his hamstring on the first pitch of his outing versus the Chicago Cubs and was carted off the field on May 5.

Pagan had been struggling before the injury. However, it was reported that he had been dealing with a hamstring for a few weeks, which could be attributed to his lack of success in Chicago before the injury. He has a 6.43 ERA, and batters are hitting .264 against him. Despite this, he was great in 2025, setting a career high in saves with 32. Having a healthy Pagan and Johnson back in the bullpen will be crucial to the team’s success this season.

Help is on the way. Getting Johnson back is step one.

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