Brady Singer dodged a bullet but Reds pitching takes another painful hit

Cincinnati Reds starter Brady Singer left Tuesday's game against the San Francisco Giants shortly after a comebacker up the middle struck him in the foot. Thankfully, X-rays came back negative, and all signs point to Singer making his next start on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins. But the injury news surrounding fellow pitcher Emilio Pagán is not so optimistic.

Giants pinch-hitter Daniel Susac shot a deep fly ball into left-center field that was corralled by Will Benson for the final out of the game, but Pagán's reaction following the pitch told the story. He could be seen grimacing after the delivery and then moved gingerly toward the Reds dugout while the rest of the team celebrated the 2-1 victory.

After the game, Reds manager Terry Francona mentioned that Pagán was having his hamstring examined. While no official word has been made public, it wouldn't be surprising to see Pagán placed on the 15-day injured list ahead of Wednesday's game against the Giants.

Emilio Pagán is the latest Reds pitcher to suffer an injury

Another injury — especially to the pitching staff — is about the last thing the Reds need at the moment. Cincinnati is already without starting pitchers Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, and left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson is on the mend as well.

If Pagán is forced to miss any time, Francona will likely turn to Tony Santillan in the ninth inning with the lead. The right-hander got off to a somewhat shaky start after the Reds' coaching staff took a cautious approach to his workload during spring training. But Santillan has been lights out of late. His velocity is back and he's yet to allow a single run in nine relief appearances this season.

Pagán has been the Reds closer since last season and re-signed with the team this past winter. The right-hander recored his fifth save of the young season and is 5-for-6 in save opportunities so far in 2026. He's also a steady veteran presence — both in the clubhouse and on the field — and a player the Reds can't afford to lose to a prolonged absence.

If Pagán is forced to miss time, the Reds have several candidates to turn to in the minor leagues. Zach Maxwell and Luis Mey are two high-octane arms that could help fill the void, while Jose Franco could help offer some length to an already overworked Reds bullpen.

Reds fans should expect to hear some sort of update prior to the first pitch of Wednesday game against the Giants, but the news is likely to be anything but positive.

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