The Tigers are set to add a familiar Twins arm to their bullpen, and Emilio Pagán is heading to a division rival on a one-year, $11 million deal, according to MLB.com’s Jason Beck. Detroit has not officially announced the signing yet.
Pagán’s path back to the AL Central has been a winding one. Minnesota picked him up from the San Diego Padres in April 2022, a deal that also brought Chris Paddack to the Twins while Brent Rooker and Taylor Rogers went to San Diego.
His time in Minnesota got off to a rough start. Pagán put up a 4.43 ERA over 63 innings in 2022, but he bounced back the next year with a 2.99 ERA across 69 1/3 innings. That rebound helped him earn a two-year, $16 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds.
The right-hander’s run in Cincinnati has had its ups and downs. In 2024, an injury-hit season limited him to a 4.50 ERA in 38 innings.
Then in 2025, he looked much more like himself, finishing with a 2.88 ERA, 32 saves and 81 strikeouts over 68 2/3 innings. That performance led to another Reds deal, this time for two years and $20 million.
This past season started slowly for Pagán, and a hamstring strain only made things tougher. Once he came off the IL, though, he settled back in and closed the year with a 3.38 ERA, 25 saves and 45 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings. Afterward, he turned down his $10 million player option for 2027 and landed the Tigers’ offer.
The move gives Detroit a new closer after Kenley Jansen handled the role last season. Jansen posted a 3.20 ERA with 22 saves and 51 strikeouts over 45 innings, but the Tigers declined his $12 million club option for 2027. Jansen turned 39 in September, while Pagán will be 36 in May.
For Minnesota, the signing is another reminder of a bullpen that still needs help. Jeff Hoffman gives the Twins a late-inning weapon, but with A.J.
Minter now a free agent, there’s room for another high-leverage arm. The Twins’ relievers finished 26th in ERA last season, and even after deadline additions, the group still needs more proven depth.
In Other News...
Trevor Larnach Just Added A New Twist To Twins Trade Talk
Trevor Larnachs offseason took a small turn this week, with the Twins outfielder set for arthroscopic surgery on his left wrist after soreness lingered from the sprain that cost him the final two weeks of the season. It is not the kind of development that changes the bigger picture for Minnesota, but it does add another layer to a winter already shaped by questions about where Larnach fits.
General manager Jeremy Zoll characterized the procedure as minor, and the team does not expect it to affect Larnachs availability for the start of Spring Training. Even so, the timing is worth noting for a player who had already surfaced in trade conversations, including a potential deal with the Astros that never materialized, leaving his status as one more item for the Twins to sort through as the offseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Could Target A Bullpen Arm With One Big Roster Catch
The bullpen market picked up another name when Boston moved on from right-hander Zack Kelly, and the Twins could have reason to take a look. Minnesota has been searching for ways to deepen its relief mix, and Kelly is the kind of arm that fits the conversation: a right-handed reliever with enough big-league track record to merit attention, even if he is not a headline addition.
Kellys profile is complicated by the health piece, since he is working back from an elbow fracture and has not yet resumed throwing. Still, for a Twins club that has to weigh upside against availability, the appeal is obvious if the medicals check out. The question now is whether Minnesota sees enough there to make a move before another team beats it to a low-cost bullpen gamble. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Could Shake Up Their Lineup With One First Base Move
The Twins have spent the early part of the offseason sorting out how they want the corners of their lineup to look, and first base is one spot that still feels open to change. After declining Josh Bells option, Minnesota is leaning on Royce Lewis there for now, but the club is still weighing ways to add more stability and production as it maps out the rest of its roster.
One potential path could run through Houston, where the Astros are trying to clarify their own infield picture. General manager Randy Flores has acknowledged the need to sort out roles among the group, and if that situation loosens up, Minnesota could be a team that checks in. The Twins are also keeping an eye on catcher Ryan Jeffers qualifying offer decision, so their offseason puzzle has a few moving pieces beyond first base. [Read more 🡒]