Reds losing Emilio Pagán makes this former Dodgers reliever worth a gamble

Emilio Pagán bolting for the Detroit Tigers creates yet another hole that the Cincinnati Reds must fill. It's a one-year, $11.5 million deal for Pagán, making it extra frustrating that the Reds couldn't seem to cough up an extra $1.5 million from the $10 million option he declined to keep him in the fold. On the flip side, Pagan's departure could be a blessing in disguise.

Cincinnati already had some real needs in the bullpen, and now will have to find a ninth-inning arm, especially after Tony Santillan fell so flat following his breakout 2025, and now has his status for the start of the 2027 season is up in the air after undergoing hip surgery.

The good news here is that Pagán's departure opens the door for some outside-the-box thinking. The 35-year-old missed time with a hamstring strain and put up an uneven campaign in 2026. He's not an elite closer, but by simply carrying the closer label, he was always going to get paid. The Reds might get more bang for their buck, then, by signing a proven high-leverage reliever who doesn't possess that closer tag. If they can get one at a discount, even better.

One name that checks all those boxes is former Los Angeles Dodgers setup man Evan Phillips. While Phillips racked up 42 saves for the Dodgers between 2023 and 2024, no one is really thinking of the 32-year-old as a legitimate closer option. That doesn't mean the Reds shouldn't.

Evan Phillips could be a low-risk, high-reward closer option that leaves the Reds with money left over to spend

In 2026, Phillips missed the first part of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. When he initially came back, he got lit up. Over his first seven games, he gave up four homers and five earned runs. However, from July 27 onward, he made 24 appearances and throw 19⅓ innings, allowing just one homer and posting a 2.33 ERA.

On the season, he threw a total of 26 innings, recording a 3.46 ERA with a 31.1% strikeout rate and a 5.7% walk rate. From his arrival in Los Angeles in 2022 through 2025, Phillips has tossed 184⅔ innings with a 2.14 ERA, a 29.6% strikeout rate, and a 6.6% walk rate. In short, after seven games of knocking off the rust, he returned to the form he's presented for the last several years.

Tommy John surgery isn't the only injury that has derailed Phillips. He's dealt with forearm, shoulder, and hip issues in the past. However, from 2022 through 2024, he pitched at least 54⅔ innings every season.

Cincinnati might be able to lure him in on a cheap one-year deal with the idea that he can establish himself as a top-flight closer and re-enter the market next offseason with that all-important distinction, allowing him to secure a big payday.

Because Phillips could present the Reds with a potential upgrade over Pagán at a lower cost, the team will have additional funds to fill in other roster holes. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: this is about creating the best possible whole, so spreading the wealth thanks to a calculated risk like this makes a ton of sense.

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