CHICAGO – Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagán said the emotions flooded his mind Tuesday night as he rode on a cart that carried him from the field after suffering a painful pop in his hamstring.
“I thought my season was done,” he said.
It made the diagnosis Wednesday, May 6 of a Grade 2 strain at least more palatable, knowing he should be back this season, maybe before the All-Star break.
But he still talked like a guy struggling to shake a sense of responsibility to a team that expects to be in play for a division title and that talks even more confidently about a second straight playoff berth.
“I feel like I’m letting a lot of people down,” said Pagán, who felt the left hamstring pop on the first pitch he threw in the ninth inning of a 2-2 game Tuesday night at Wrigley Field.
“Obviously, the organization, front office, management invested a lot in me to be here,” he said. “I believe in myself. I’m very confident in myself. That’s why I wanted to try and push through this to try and help the team win as many games as possible.”
This is the kind of mindset that has made the veteran right-hander a valued mentor in the bullpen and clubhouse since joining the club in 2024, a mindset that includes a personal stake in teammates and the playoff vision that seemed to resonate when they talked about the person they were losing to the injured list as much as the pitcher.
“He was so emotional he’s apologizing,” manager Terry Francona said of Pagán’s reaction after falling to the grass, clutching his hamstring in pain, and punching the ground Tuesday night.
“It’s kind of amazing how quickly you go from knowing what the score is to, ‘We’ve got to take care of this kid,’ “ Francona said. “He embodies so much of what we care about here.“
How the Reds cover for Pagán on the mound for the estimated 4-to-8 weeks he’ll be sidelined involves a much simpler calculus than the bigger picture of compensating for the rest that he brings. Francona said he doesn’t plan to elevate a single pitcher to the role, instead mixing and matching with his leverage-relief crew.
Pagán said he wasn’t sure whether he’d do most of his treatment and rehab work at the team’s facility in Arizona or stay with the team during that process.
“I would hope to stay with the club,” he said. “I think I can help in other ways, other than just pitching. I can use my eyes and use my mind and help with ballgames from the side. That’s going to be my goal.”
That’s part of why the Reds stretched the payroll budget to secure the free agent return of Pagán for $20 million over two years during the winter. And why he’ll probably be staying with the team during his recovery.
Pagán felt tightness in the hamstring a month ago and has received regular treatment for it since then as he quickly returned to action.
“I felt like I was getting to the end of it,” he said, adding that he felt no discomfort either warming in the bullpen or on the mound immediately before that first pitch Tuesday.
“It’s been getting better. That’s the most frustrating part.”
That and a five-game losing streak that includes three straight one-run losses after late blown leads. And not being able to do anything about it for at least a month.
If anything, Pagán said, he expects to be able to make up for it with a few extra weeks of pitching in October.
“I believe this is a playoff team. I believe this is a team that can compete for a division,” he said. “That’s gonna be my driving motivation during rehab, to hopefully come back when we’re getting ready to celebrate something meaningful for the organization and our fans.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds closer Emilio Pagán motivated by playoff goals to return early
Reporting by Gordon Wittenmyer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
