Cincinnati Reds and pitcher Pierce Johnson complete $6.5 million, 1-year contract | Sports

CINCINNATI (AP) — Pierce Johnson already knew how formidable the Cincinnati Reds were last year after facing them. It also helped that Johnson’s best friend, Emilio Pagan, is the closer on the Reds staff.

“After Cincinnati ended up re-signing him he was like, ‘You’re coming here. We’re getting it done.’ When you have your best friend selling you on something, it’s easy to buy in,” Johnson said after signing a $6.5-million, one-year contract on Thursday.

kAm%96 bc\J62C @=5 C:89E\92?56C H2D b\b H:E9 2 b]_d t#p 😕 ed 82>6D =2DE J62C 7@C pE=2?E2] %92E :?4=F565 2 DEC62< @7 ae 32EE6CD C6E:C65 @G6C ?:?6 82>6D 7C@> pAC:= `h E@ |2J `_]k^Am

kAmy@9?D@? H:== 36 6?E6C:?8 9:D ?:?E9 3:8 =628F6 D62D@?] w6 86ED 2 Sd]d >:==:@? D2=2CJ E9:D J62C 2D A2CE @7 2 562= E92E :?4=F56D 2? Sg >:==:@? >FEF2= @AE:@? 7@C a_af H:E9 2 S` >:==:@? 3FJ@FE]k^Am

kAmy@9?D@?VD 255:E:@? 255D 2 G6E6C2? 2C> E@ E96 3F==A6? 27E6C E96 56A2CEFC6D @7 $4@EE q2C=@H[ }:4< |2CE:?6K 2?5 qC6?E $FE6C] %96 #65D H6C6 6:89E9 😕 E96 }2E:@?2= {628F6 H:E9 2 b]gh t#p 27E6C >2<:?8 E96 A@DED62D@? 😕 %6CCJ uC2?4@?2VD 7:CDE D62D@? 2D >2?286C]k^Am

kAm“%:E@’D 8@??2 CF? 2 E62> E92E’D 8@??2 A=2J E96 82>6 E96 C:89E 2H2J] %92E’D D@>6E9:?8 E92E J@F ?@E:46 7C@> E96 @E96C D:56] xE’D 366? 2 =@E @7 8@@5 2E 32ED[ 2 =@E @7 A6D 6I4:E65 E@ 86E E@ @H E96D6 8FJD 2?5 E96? D66 D66 9@H E9:D J62C D92A6D @FE]”k^Am

kAmy@9?D@? 42? 62C? Sd__[___ 😕 A6C7@C>2?46 3@?FD6D 7@C 82>6D A:E4965i S`__[___ 6249 7@C cd 2?5 6249 255:E:@?2= 7:G6 E9C@F89 ed] y@9?D@? 2=D@ 42? 62C? Sbfd[___ 7@C 82>6D 7:?:D965i S`ad[___ 2A:646 7@C b_[ c_ 2?5 d_] w6 H@F=5 C646:G6 2 Sd__[___ 2DD:8?>6?E 3@?FD :7 EC2565]k^Am

kAmw6 😀 a`\ac H:E9 2 b]fh t#p 😕 bag DE2CED 2?5 EH@ C6=:67 2AA62C2?46D 7@C E96 r9:428@ rF3D Wa_`fX[ $2? uC2?4:D4@ Wa_`gX[ $2? s:68@ Wa_a_\aaX[ r@=@C25@ Wa_abX 2?5 pE=2?E2 Wa_ab\adX] y@9?D@? 92D 2 `]d_ t#p 😕 `a A@DED62D@? 82>6D[ “ @7 E96> D4@C6=6DD]k^Am

kAmr:?4:??2E: @A6?65 2 C@DE6C DA@E 3J 56D:8?2E:?8 C:89E\92?56C *@DG6C +F=F6E2 7@C 2DD:8?>6?E]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! |{qi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^>=3Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^>=3k^2mk^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.