Reds rumors: Cincinnati shifts focus to the bullpen, pursues this free agent reliever

The Reds rumors have shifted from the starting rotation to the bullpen. According to New York Post columnist and MLB Insider Jon Heyman, the Cincinnati Reds are in on Emilio Pagán.

Pagán pitched out of the Minnesota Twins bullpen in 2023. The right-hander posted a 5-2 record and 2.99 ERA in 66 appeances last season.

Pagán would be a very nice addition to a Cincinnati relief corps that looked absolutely gassed by the end of the 2023 campaign.

Reds rumors: Cincinnati interested in signing Emilio Pagán

Emilio Pagán is a former 10th-round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2013. The 32-year-old still owns a 95-plus mph fastball which, according to Baseball Savant, was among the 80th percentile last season.

Pagán couldn't have asked for a better time to put forth his best campaign in years. Pagán's previous three seasons before 2023, which were split between the Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres, saw him log over 120 innings, but posted an ERA of 4.63.

Pagán did, however, balance a very nice 28.2-percent strikeout-rate with a walk-rate of just 8.5-percent. But giving up almost two home runs per nine innings pitched during that three-year stretch is less than ideal, especially if half of Pagán's games would come at Great American Ball Park.

Last season, however, saw that number drop 0.65 home runs per nine innings pitched. Pagán still maintained a solid 23-percent strikeout-rate per FanGraphs, and posted a WHIP of 0.95.

While these latest Reds rumors suggest a shift in Cincinnati's pursuit of an additional starter, fans need not worry. After hearing that the Cincinnati Reds were perusing the trade market for starters like Tyler Glasnow and Shane Bieber, these latest rumors reveal that the club is looking to upgrade both areas this winter.