Emilio Pagán’s move to the Detroit Tigers leaves the Cincinnati Reds staring at another bullpen gap, and it comes with a little extra sting. Pagán landed a one-year, $11.5 million deal, which makes the Reds’ inability to bridge the final $1.5 million from the $10 million option he turned down feel even rougher.
But there’s another way to look at it, too: Pagán’s exit might actually push Cincinnati toward a smarter, cheaper fix.
The Reds already had work to do in the bullpen before this happened. Now they need a ninth-inning answer, especially with Tony Santillan coming off a disappointing follow-up to his breakout 2025 and his status for the start of the 2027 season now in question after hip surgery.
That’s where a name like Evan Phillips starts to make sense. The former Dodgers right-hander doesn’t come with the closer label, even though he saved 42 games for Los Angeles between 2023 and 2024. And that could be exactly why he’s worth a look for Cincinnati.
Phillips missed the start of the 2026 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and when he first returned, the results were rough. In his first seven games, he allowed four home runs and five earned runs.
But once he settled in, the picture changed fast. From July 27 on, he made 24 appearances, threw 19⅓ innings, gave up just one homer and posted a 2.33 ERA.
For the year, Phillips logged 26 innings with a 3.46 ERA, a 31.1% strikeout rate and a 5.7% walk rate. Zoom out a little farther, and the track record looks even better: from his arrival in Los Angeles in 2022 through 2025, he worked 184⅔ innings with a 2.14 ERA, a 29.6% strikeout rate and a 6.6% walk rate. After those first seven games shook off the rust, he looked like the same pitcher he’s been for years.
There’s risk here, of course. Phillips has dealt with forearm, shoulder and hip issues before, even though he pitched at least 54⅔ innings in each season from 2022 through 2024. Still, that’s part of what could make him appealing on a one-year deal.
Cincinnati could try to sell him on a short-term opportunity: come in, win the closer job, and hit the market next offseason with that title attached. For the Reds, the appeal is obvious. If Phillips can give them production similar to Pagán - or better - at a lower price, that leaves more money to patch the other holes on the roster.
And that’s the whole point. The Reds don’t just need one arm. They need the best version of the entire bullpen, and a calculated swing on Phillips could help them get there.
In Other News...
Elly De La Cruz Just Gave Reds Fans A New Debate
Sal Stewarts Rookie of the Year season gave the Reds a new offensive centerpiece, but the conversation around Cincinnatis infield got a little more interesting when the All-MLB teams were announced. Elly De La Cruz landed on the Second Team at shortstop, a recognition that still puts him among the games elite and keeps his name in the same breath as the best players at the position.
Bobby Witt Jr. took the First Team spot, which is where the debate starts for Reds fans who have watched De La Cruzs all-around impact grow. He finished second among shortstops in batting average and led the group in slugging percentage and OPS, a combination that only adds fuel to the argument about where he belongs on the sports top tier. Meanwhile, Tejay Antones comeback after his third Tommy John surgery was one of the years better feel-good stories in Cincinnati, even if his return to 58 games did not land him among the National League comeback player finalists. [Read more 🡒]
Nick Krall Just Raised An Uncomfortable Elly De La Cruz Question
Emilio Pagns decision to opt out and reportedly land with the Detroit Tigers only adds to an offseason that already has the Reds juggling a few important roster questions. Cincinnati has several key free agents to sort through, but the biggest one hanging over the front office is still Elly De La Cruz, the dynamic centerpiece who gives the club its most electric presence and, in many ways, its clearest path forward.
Nick Krall said the Reds want to keep De La Cruz long-term, which is the easy part of the conversation. The harder part is the one he left open by not shutting the door on a future trade, even while saying there have been no trade talks this offseason. For a team trying to balance present ambition with long-term control, that leaves De La Cruz as both the obvious answer and the uncomfortable question. [Read more 🡒]
Former Reds Coach Derek Johnson Just Took An Unexpected Next Step
Derek Johnsons next stop came together faster than many around the Reds likely expected. The longtime pitching coach, who was recently replaced in Cincinnati, has landed with the New York Mets in an advisory role, giving him a new home in the game after his stint with the Reds ended following a leave of absence during the 2023 season.
The setup in New York is a little different from the grind Johnson had in Cincinnati. His new position does not require daily travel with the club, which makes it a more flexible arrangement as he remains part of a major league organization without the full-time demands of a traditional dugout job. For a Reds team moving on from a familiar voice in its pitching room, it is another reminder of how quickly the coaching carousel can turn. [Read more 🡒]