CHICAGO (AP) — Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagán thought his season was over on Tuesday night.
A day later, it was a more positive timeline for the right-hander.
Pagán was placed on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. He is expected to be sidelined for one to two months.
“I mean, I don’t know what it would feel like to tear your hamstring off the bone. I mean it was pretty painful last night,” he said. “So it’s still going to be quite a lengthy process to get back on the field. But I guess all things considered, I guess it’s pretty good news.”
The Reds also activated Pierce Johnson from the bereavement list before their game against the Chicago Cubs. Tejay Antone, another right-handed reliever, was brought up from Triple-A Louisville, and right-hander Chase Petty was sent down. Left-hander Brandon Williamson was transferred to the 60-day IL.
Pagán, who turns 35 on Thursday, entered for the ninth inning in Tuesday night's 3-2 loss to the Cubs. As he followed through on his first pitch, he hopped off the mound in pain and then went to the ground, clutching his hamstring. He ended up being carted off the field.
“When we all saw the reaction, I think you kind of leap to the worst,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “So I think it’s probably looking at four to six weeks-ish, you know. And that’s always a tricky (injury). It’s going to heal how it heals.”
Francona said he doesn't think he will go with a regular closer while Pagán is out.
“I don’t think that it makes a lot of sense just to name somebody,” he said. “I think some of it is dependent on how we get there, what the lineups look like, things like that.”
Pagán had a 2.88 ERA and a career-high 32 saves last year, helping Cincinnati reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020. He re-signed with the Reds in December, agreeing to a $20 million, two-year contract.
Pagán had struggled so far this season, going 2-1 with a 6.43 ERA and six saves in 15 appearances. He tweaked his left hamstring on the final pitch of a 2-1 win over San Francisco on April 14, but he avoided an IL stint.
“Obviously a few weeks back, it grabbed on me," Pagán said. "It was uncomfortable for a few outings, but I felt like I was getting to the end of it. Felt like the last few days I was really getting back to being able to do my delivery the way I’m used to doing it. And, you know, I don’t know if that’s what led to it, being able to get to a full stride length or whatever.”
While Pagán’s injury was a damper for Cincinnati, the return of Antone provided an uplifting note.
The 32-year-old Antone last appeared in a major league game on April 7, 2024, against the New York Mets. He threw one pitch before departing with an elbow injury, and then had Tommy John surgery for the third time.
Antone earned a promotion by going 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA at Louisville. He spent some time on the field a few hours before Wednesday's game, taking the moment in.
“I really wanted to come back, but I don’t want to say I was expecting it,” an emotional Antone said. “I was on the roster. I was just pitching the best I could, just hoping for an opportunity. I try to control what I can control each day. I went out there and threw really well for the first month of the season, and the Reds gave me this opportunity, so I couldn’t be happier.”
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Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona, left, talks to relief pitcher Emilio Pagán, as he leaves the field after an injury during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagán (15) is helped by team trainers after an injury during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagán lies on the field after an injury during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
