The Big Pod Machine: Reds off season, Redsfest and Thanksgiving
Reds Beat Reporter Gordon Wittenmyer and Sports Reporter Pat Brennan discuss the Reds off season and whats coming up
The Reds officially re-signed closer Emilio Pagan to a two-year contract on Dec. 4.Pagan’s deal is for two years and $20 million with the closer having an opt-out after one season.Reds President of Baseball Operations said it was “great” to have the deal done.
The Cincinnati Reds knocked a big item off their offseason to-do list with the return of workhorse closer Emilio Pagán, but there’s still more work to do.
The Reds on Dec. 4 announced Pagán, 34, was re-signed on a two-year contract through the 2027 season, with the 2027 season being a player option. The Enquirer on Dec. 3 reported the deal was worth $20 million.
Regardless of what comes next for the Reds this offseason, Pagán’s return signified one of the most important moves the club will make between now and the start of spring training in February. Pagán was one of the top relievers in baseball with 32 saves and 81 strikeouts. He was nothing short of instrumental in the Reds’ clinching a National League wild card playoff berth.
“He’s been a solid reliever for this club the last two years. This year (in 2025) taking the closer role and being the guy that’s been a lock-down guy back there,” Reds President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall said Dec. 4. “It’s big at any time. It doesn’t matter if it’s (the signing) early or late… It’s great to have this done.”
The Reds front office knew it would have a bullpen rebuild on its hands, and bringing back their closer was a large piece of that puzzle.
The Reds seemed to have a leg-up on the competition for Pagán’s services this offseason. There were other bidders and their interest was humbling, Pagán said, but he consistently held Cincinnati as his desired landing spot in free agency.
“Super excited and, yeah, pretty easy choice to come back,” Pagán said. “I like everything that we got going on here, so I knew this was where I wanted to be… I think last (season) was just scratching the surface of what we can become.”
Now, the Reds will continue to work within the framework over a consistent year-over-year budget to continue to rebuild the bullpen and improve elsewhere.
A big bat to possibly offer protection to members of the club’s established, young core is thought to be a priority but that would likely come at a steep cost. That’s especially true on the subject of lefty slugger and Middletown-native Kyle Schwarber, who remains one of the top prizes to be had on the free-agent market this year.
Next week’s MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando could begin to reveal more about what the marketplace looks like for Schwarber and others.
How much flexibility the Reds have to work with personnel-wise remains a question, although Krall projected confidence in the team’s current standing.
“We’re working on it,” Krall said. “We’re working through the offseason and figuring out who’s out there and what everyone costs. We’ll see what the prices are, both on the trade market and on the free agent market.”