CINCINNATI — Emilio Pagán did not hide from Monday night. After the Reds lost 5-4 to the Chicago Cubs and dropped their fourth straight game, the closer called out his own performance after his third blown save of the season.
“Quite honestly, I haven’t held up my end of the bargain,” Pagán said. “As painful as today is, I feel like I’m getting really close to being who I can be. I made two mistakes today, and they both got hit.”
The loss landed with extra force because Cincinnati signed Pagán to a two-year, $20 million contract this past offseason and expected him to anchor the back end of the bullpen. Through 14 games, he has a 6.43 ERA and a 5.86 FIP, a rough start for a pitcher who posted a 2.88 ERA and a career-best 32 saves in 2025 before landing that deal.
The pressure on the Reds’ late innings has not been limited to Pagán. Tony Santillan gave up the go-ahead run in Cincinnati’s 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon, after throwing a 1-2 fastball down the middle to Oneil Cruz. That left the club searching for a clean finish at the very moment it needed one most.
Some fans are already asking for Pagán to be replaced as closer, but Terry Francona does not have an adequate option on the roster right now. That is the tension inside the Cincinnati bullpen: the results have been bad enough to spark frustration, yet the alternatives have not made the answer any easier.
Pagán’s words sounded like a pitcher who knows the problem is immediate, not theoretical. The Reds need him to stop saying he is close and start making it show before another late lead disappears.