Terry Francona Provides Injury Updates on Three Key Players

Francona spoke to the media before Saturday's doubleheader.

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

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona spoke to the media ahead of Saturday's doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals and provided an injury update on three key players.

Ke'Bryan Hayes

Hayes was placed on the injured list on Friday with a back injury. He has dealt with back injuries throughout his career.

"We’re going to get him out to Arizona," Francona told Charlie Goldsmith. "We want to get this going in the right direction so we can ask him to work and he doesn’t have to worry about getting hurt or setting himself back."

He said Hayes will be getting an epidural in his back.

“He’s going to go out to Arizona tomorrow or Monday. The couple of days to let that settle in should calm things down, and then he can get to work out there.”

Emilio Pagan

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

Pagan went down on the ground in pain on Tuesday, May 5th, after throwing just one pitch. He thought his season was over.

“Leaving the field yesterday, I thought my season was done, truthfully," Pagán said MLB.com's Mark Sheldon the next day.

The Reds placed Pagan on the injured list on May 6th with a Grade 2 strain in his hamstring, which can be anywhere from four to eight weeks.

“A lot of emotions went through my mind last night. I feel like I’m letting a lot of people down. Obviously, the organization, the front office, [and] management invested a lot in me to be here.

Francona said the training staff let Pagan test his hamstring.

"They let him measure his strength. He felt it, which is not shocking. He’s supposed to meet with the doctor today. They’re talking about possibly going out and playing catch."

Caleb Ferguson

Feb 17, 2026; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Caleb Ferguson (46) during media day in Goodyear, Arizona. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Ferguson, who the Reds signed in the offseason, has yet to throw a pitch for Cincinnati. He suffered an oblique injury during Spring Training in March.

Since then, he's appeared in eight rehab games, two for Double-A Chattanooga, and six for Triple-A Louisville.

While you shouldn't look too much into stats while guys are rehabbing, Ferguson has struggled in his eight appearances. He has an ERA of 12.91 and has given up runs in five of his eight rehab appearances.

Francona said that Ferguson will pitch again tonight for Louisville. Players are only allowed to stay on rehab assignments for a limited amount of time, and Ferguson is quickly approaching that window. The Reds will have to make a decision on him soon.