Cincinnati Reds' bullpen leader Emilio PagĂĄn suffered a left hamstring injury during a game against the Cubs, leaving the team concerned about his status. An MRI is scheduled to determine the severity of the injury and potential recovery time.
Key points
Emilio PagĂĄn injured his left hamstring during a game.
He is a key leader in the Reds' bullpen.
An MRI will determine the severity of his injury.
PagĂĄn joins four other Reds pitchers on the injured list.
Hunter Greene is also out due to elbow surgery.
Emilio PagĂĄnCincinnati RedsHunter Greene
CHICAGO â Emilio PagĂĄn dropped to the ground after one pitch, clutched his left hamstring, rolled over in pain and punched the grass.
By the time the cart carried PagĂĄn off the field Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, it seemed like the competitive heart of the Cincinnati Redsâ battered pitching staff went with him.
âItâs a tough pill to swallow,â catcher Jose Trevino said. âAs one of our leaders, one of our captains, one of the dudes that cares about this team more than a lot of us, heâs a big, big pice of this.â
The Reds expected to learn more after an MRI Friday morning what the severity of the injury is and how long it might sideline their closer, who was pressed into ninth-inning duty early last season and went to earn career-high 32 saves with a produced a 2.88 ERA.
PagĂĄn will join four other key Reds pitchers on the injured list, including rotation ace Hunter Greene, whoâs expected to be out until around the trade deadline after undergoing elbow surgery in March to remove bone chips.
Reds pitcher Emilio Pagan is helped off the field after throwing one pitch in the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 5. Pagan has been struggling with a 6.53 ERA and six saves in nine games over 14 appearances.
Q&A
What happened to Emilio PagĂĄn during the game against the Cubs?
Emilio PagĂĄn injured his left hamstring while pitching and had to be carted off the field.
How significant is Emilio PagĂĄn's injury for the Cincinnati Reds?
PagĂĄn is considered a key leader in the bullpen, and his absence could greatly impact the team's pitching performance.
When will the severity of PagĂĄn's injury be determined?
The severity of PagĂĄn's injury is expected to be assessed after an MRI scheduled for Friday morning.
Who else is on the injured list for the Cincinnati Reds?
In addition to PagĂĄn, four other key pitchers, including rotation ace Hunter Greene, are currently on the injured list.
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Reds pitcher Emilio Pagan is helped off the field after throwing one pitch in the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 5. Pagan has been struggling with a 6.53 ERA and six saves in nine games over 14 appearances.
The loss of PagĂĄn might be as significant as any of them because of the influence he has off the mound in the clubhouse and bullpen, an influence the Reds valued enough to spend more on him as a free agent ($20 million, two years) than anyone else over the winter.
âHeâs our head guy back there,â setup man Tony Santillan said. âHeâs our voice. Heâs our leader. Anytime you see somebody like that go down, it never feels good for anybody. Especially when you see him come in see how upset and (see) some tears. That does something to everybody.â
PagĂĄn had struggled early this season, including missing a few days last month because of tightness in the same hamstring. Whether that was directly related to this, Francona said PagĂĄn told him he didnât feel anything in the area leading up to the ninth-inning pitch against the Chicago Cubsâ Nico Hoerner.
Either way, the loss impacts the Reds deeper than the pain of backfilling the back end of the bullpen.
Closer Emilio Pagan reacts after falling to the ground on his first pitch of the ninth inning May 5. The Reds signed him to a free agent deal this offseason after he earned a career-high 32 saves with a produced a 2.88 ERA in 2025.
Closer Emilio Pagan reacts after falling to the ground on his first pitch of the ninth inning May 5. The Reds signed him to a free agent deal this offseason after he earned a career-high 32 saves with a produced a 2.88 ERA in 2025.
âHeâs such an integral part of what we do,â Francona said. âHeâs struggling right now, and weâve got to be there for him.â
The Reds might get veteran left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson back from the IL sometime around the middle of the month.
And they can lean on the likes of Santillan or Graham Ashcraft or a bigger committee to handle the ninth inning for this playoff-minded team, maybe even long-term this season.
But the latest loss to the staff also comes at a time theyâve given up late-inning runs to lose by one run in each of the last three games of a season-high five-game losing streak.
âSnakebit?â Trevino said, repeating part of a question. âI donât know if Iâm going to use the word âsnakebit.â Iâll use the word âbaseball.â Things are going to happen. Baseballâs unpredictable. Itâs up to our team to keep playing.â
Making it tougher is the fact the bullpen already was trying to fight out of a group slump. The Reds lead the National League in walks allowed, thanks in large part to a pen that leads MLB with more than six walks per nine innings.
Theyâre in the middle of the pack in ERA but are ranked last in the NL in bullpen WAR.
âItâs tough, man. But weâre going to be resilient about it,â Trevino said. âEP would want us to be resilient about it.â
Thatâs likely to take some heavier contributions from younger pitchers.
âEmilio has done a great job with those guys (in the pen) since last year, shaping some of these guys that are going to be able to handle these bigger roles that theyâre going to get,â Trevino added. âAnd I would imagine that Emilioâs going to be right there by them to help them.â
Former Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman joins the event during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Reds Hall of Fame outsider Eric Davis comes to the field during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Reds owner Bob Castellini applauds during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Reds owner Bob Castellini applauds during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench applauds during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Reds Hall of Famer Sean Casey applauds during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Reds Hall of Famers are introduced during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Team owner Susan Castellini looks on during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Reds Hall of Famer George Foster looks on during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Former Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman is introduced during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench is introduced during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Reds Hall of Fame executive director Rick Walls speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Reds Hall of Fame executive director Rick Walls speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Plaques honoring the 2026 class are displayed during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The 2026 class takes the stage during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
New Reds Hall of Famer Reggie Sanders speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The mother of new Reds Hall of Famer Reggie Sanders claps speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
New Reds Hall of Famer Reggie Sanders speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
New Reds Hall of Famer Aaron Harang speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
New Reds Hall of Famer Aaron Harang speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench records speeches during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
New Reds Hall of Famer Brandon Phillips gives a speech during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
New Reds Hall of Famer Brandon Phillips gives a speech during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The parents of Brandon Phillips look on as he speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
New Reds Hall of Famer Lou Piniella speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
New Reds Hall of Famer Lou Piniella speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
New Reds Hall of Famer Lou Piniella speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The 2026 Reds Hall of Fame class stand with their plaques during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
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Enjoy celebration of new Reds Hall of Famers Reggie Sanders, Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips and Lou Piniella | Photos
New Reds Hall of Famer Reggie Sanders speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
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Enjoy celebration of new Reds Hall of Famers Reggie Sanders, Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips and Lou Piniella | Photos
New Reds Hall of Famer Aaron Harang speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
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Enjoy celebration of new Reds Hall of Famers Reggie Sanders, Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips and Lou Piniella | Photos
New Reds Hall of Famer Aaron Harang speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
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Enjoy celebration of new Reds Hall of Famers Reggie Sanders, Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips and Lou Piniella | Photos
Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench records speeches during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
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Enjoy celebration of new Reds Hall of Famers Reggie Sanders, Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips and Lou Piniella | Photos
New Reds Hall of Famer Brandon Phillips gives a speech during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
23 / 28
Enjoy celebration of new Reds Hall of Famers Reggie Sanders, Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips and Lou Piniella | Photos
New Reds Hall of Famer Brandon Phillips gives a speech during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
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Enjoy celebration of new Reds Hall of Famers Reggie Sanders, Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips and Lou Piniella | Photos
The parents of Brandon Phillips look on as he speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
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Enjoy celebration of new Reds Hall of Famers Reggie Sanders, Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips and Lou Piniella | Photos
New Reds Hall of Famer Lou Piniella speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
26 / 28
Enjoy celebration of new Reds Hall of Famers Reggie Sanders, Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips and Lou Piniella | Photos
New Reds Hall of Famer Lou Piniella speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
27 / 28
Enjoy celebration of new Reds Hall of Famers Reggie Sanders, Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips and Lou Piniella | Photos
New Reds Hall of Famer Lou Piniella speaks during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
28 / 28
Enjoy celebration of new Reds Hall of Famers Reggie Sanders, Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips and Lou Piniella | Photos
The 2026 Reds Hall of Fame class stand with their plaques during a Reds Hall of Fame induction ceremony before the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Frontline starter Nick Lodolo also expected back from the IL for a season debut Friday against Houston, and that could be an overall stabilizing influence if his blister issues are behind him.
But seeing the amount of pain PagĂĄn was in Tuesday night might as well have been a measure of the loss to the team.
âItâs a big blow to the bullpen,â Santillan said. âBut weâve got the guys back there. Weâre in a little bit of a skid here. But everyone believes in each other.â
