Emilio Pagan Is Pitching Through a Hamstring Injury and the Reds' Bullpen Doesn't Care

Cincinnati's relief corps just held Minnesota to two hits and zero runs over 3 2/3 innings on Friday night, and their closer Emilio Pagan did it all while managing a hamstring injury he picked up earlier this week. The Reds won 2-1, and now they're coming back for game two of the series on Saturday afternoon in Minneapolis with their bullpen apparently at full strength.

Pagan's Toughness Is Making a Statement

Here's the thing about Emilio Pagan right now: he hurt his hamstring on the last pitch of a 2-1 win over San Francisco on Tuesday, and he still took the mound Friday night. He threw just 13 pitches, eight for strikes, and cruised through a clean ninth inning. That's the kind of stuff that wins ballgames in April.

Pagan has six saves on the season and a 4.35 ERA. More importantly, he's blown exactly one save opportunity all year. In his last seven outings, he's allowed zero runs on just one hit across seven innings. When asked about gutting it out with the tight hamstring, Pagan kept it simple: "I'm getting through it. As long as I can do my delivery on the mound and not have to change any of that, I'll be fine."

The last out he recorded came on a grounder to second. Running to cover first, Pagan felt the tightness kick in, but his mechanics stayed intact. That's all a closer needs.

The Reds Are Leaning on Depth

Connor Phillips (2.25 ERA), Graham Ashcraft (1.64 ERA), and Tony Santillan (0.00 ERA) all contributed to Friday's shutdown effort. Cincinnati's bullpen depth is real, and it showed against a Twins lineup that managed just five hits and couldn't execute when it mattered.

Minnesota's Luke Keaschall had two chances to change the game and came up empty. He struck out looking with the bases loaded to end the third inning, then grounded into a double play with runners on the corners in the fifth. Keaschall is hitting .211 on the season with one home run and nine RBIs, and he's been pressing. "Every day we have to treat it as its own. Be present," Keaschall said after the loss. "Every day is a new day and we have to try and get the most out of each day."

Saturday's Pitching Matchup Sets the Tone

The Reds will throw Andrew Abbott (0-2, 5.85 ERA) at the Twins on Saturday. Abbott got shelled his last time out against Los Angeles, giving up seven runs on eight hits in just over three innings. He's faced Minnesota once before, back on June 17, 2025, when he threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts.

Minnesota counters with Taj Bradley (3-0, 1.25 ERA), who just picked up a win last Sunday pitching five innings against Toronto. Bradley won't forget he faced Cincinnati before, either. As a member of Tampa Bay on April 18, 2023, he tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.

Game two is Saturday afternoon at Target Field. The Twins need to answer the bell after losing back-to-back games.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.