Report Reveals Surprising Details About Reds' Pursuit of Emilio Pagán

The Reds didn't make a very serious push to re-sign Emilio Pagán before his deal with the Tigers.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Emilio Pagán (15) pitches in the ninth inning of the MLB game between the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Cincinnati Reds' offseason hasn't gotten off to the best start. Their closer, Emilio Pagán, was one of the better pitchers on their roster last season, and most of Cincinnati expected him to accept his player option and return to the Queen City. But he opted out and recently agreed to a deal with the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers needed pitching, so they took a shot on Pagán with a deal worth $11.5 million next season.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon recently reported that the Reds didn't even make a serious push to retain Pagán before he opted to agree to a deal with the Tigers.

"The Cincinnati Reds did not make a serious push to retain free-agent closer Emilio Pagán, who declined a one-year, $10 million player option to reach a one-year, $11.5 million agreement with the Detroit Tigers, according to major-league sources who were not authorized to speak publicly," they wrote.

Reds Weren't Ready to Commit to Emilio Pagán Early in the Offseason

Sep 22, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Emilio Pagan (15) and catcher Tyler Stephenson (37) react after the Reds defeated the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Reds' front office has been one of the cheapest groups in all of baseball for the better part of this generation. They haven't opted to make any huge moves to bring talent to Cincinnati. Instead, they choose to let their top free agents sign elsewhere. The same thing is the case with Pagán, who had a sub-2.00 ERA in the second half of the season this year.

But the biggest reason why they didn't attempt to sign Pagán seems to be how early he was looking for a deal.

"The Reds have numerous needs — starting pitching help, with righty Hunter Greene likely out for the season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery; a catcher to replace free agent Tyler Stephenson; and additional offensive and bullpen upgrades," they wrote. "They could not commit to Pagán at this early stage of the offseason."

The Reds have a lot of holes to fill on their roster. They can't afford to get into a bidding war for Pagán during the early stages of November. Their pitching staff is depleted. They have a big issue at catcher, unless they're able to re-sign Tyler Stephenson. Their outfield is young and untested, while their infield struggles quite a bit aside from Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart.

Committing to Pagán could have handicapped the Reds going forward. Either way, it's embarrassing for the Reds.

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