Reds sign Pagán to 1-year, $8M deal

The Cincinnati Reds signed veteran reliever Emilio Pagán to a one-year, $8-million contract with an $8-million player option for 2025, the team announced.

"Emilio is a reliable veteran reliever who can give us quality innings at the back end of our bullpen," president of baseball operations Nick Krall said in a statement. "We expect him to be an important piece to our bullpen."

The New York Post's Jon Heyman originally reported that Pagán received a two-year deal worth $16 million in guaranteed money.

The right-hander spent the past two seasons with the Minnesota Twins. Pagán enjoyed a strong season in 2023, posting a 5-2 record with a 2.99 ERA and 65 strikeouts across 69 1/3 innings.

The 32-year-old has also made stops in Seattle, Oakland, Tampa Bay, and San Diego during his seven-year career. Pagán owns a lifetime 3.71 ERA with a 10.3 K/9 in 369 appearances.

Pagán will give Reds manager David Bell a proven option in high-leverage situations and a possible setup man to All-Star closer Alexis Díaz.