Reds Closer Pagan Says He Dodged the Bullet on Hamstring Scare

Here's what every baseball fan dreads: a closer grabs his leg in the middle of a save situation and you immediately think worst case scenario. But Emilio Pagan had better news Wednesday after his left hamstring issue in Tuesday's win over San Francisco. Turns out it might not be nearly as bad as everyone feared.

The Scare Came in the Biggest Moment

Pagan picked up his fifth save Tuesday night in a 2-1 decision against the Giants, but the final pitch told a different story. On the last out, a fly ball to the warning track off Giants pinch hitter Daniel Susac, Pagan visibly winced. "On the last pitch it grabbed on me a little bit, on my left leg," Pagan said. "I didn't feel it pop or anything. It was a little uncomfortable. I know cameras saw me wince a little bit."

The concern was real. Closer injuries linger. They sideline you. They derail seasons. So when Pagan woke up Wednesday morning, that was the moment of truth.

The Good News Came Fast

Reds manager Terry Francona summed it up perfectly: "The worry was he'd show up this morning and be really sore. So that part's good." Pagan went out, played catch, and threw aggressively on flat ground. Tight, yeah, but he was able to test it out and move past the initial panic.

"Looking like we kind of dodged a bullet," Pagan said. "Hopefully things continue to trend to the positive."

Before the injury scare, Pagan had extended his scoreless streak to six games and six innings. His availability for Wednesday's potential game against the Giants was still being evaluated, but the trajectory looked encouraging.

This is the kind of news Cincinnati needed. Your closer healthy and ready to protect leads is non-negotiable in this league.

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