The Reds are heading into a pivotal offseason, with several key roster decisions on the horizon. Among them is the future of reliever Emilio Pagán, who is set to hit free agency after completing a two-year, $16 million contract signed in 2023. Pagán has expressed interest in returning to Cincinnati.
Coming off a career-best season, Pagán notched 32 saves and firmly established himself as the Reds’ closer after Ian Gibaut faltered on Opening Day. From that point on, Pagán held the role and delivered consistent results.
“I’d love to come back and run it back with these guys,” Pagán told The Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer. “Nothing’s guaranteed in this game, so we’ll see what happens… I love these guys. They know that.”
Set to turn 35 next season, Pagán is expected to draw significant interest in free agency, making it uncertain whether the Reds will be willing to meet his market value.
“I know where I want to play,” he added. “I want to play here. Hopefully we can figure something out.”
Pagán posted a 2.88 ERA over a career-high 70 appearances, a performance that will likely make him a sought-after option for teams in need of bullpen help.
While a return to Cincinnati isn’t off the table, it may depend on whether Pagán is open to a team-friendly deal. Otherwise, the Reds could turn to internal options—most notably Tony Santillan—as the likely candidate to step into the closer role for 2026.
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