Reds closer Emilio Pagán to miss 4-8 weeks with Grade 2 left hamstring strain

CHICAGO -- As Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagán sat on the cart that took him down the right-field line at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night, he said he was sure his season was done. The fact that he was able to walk into the team's clubhouse the next day was good news. Pagán was diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain of his left hamstring, an injury with a recovery that will be between four and eight weeks, meaning he should be able to return this season. "Although missing time, to me, is not good news, it's better news than I thought it was going to be," Pagán said. "Now it's time to just attack the rehab the best I can." Pagán said he hoped to stay with the team as much as possible during his rehab. "I think I can help in other ways other than just pitching," he said. "I think I can use my eyes, use my mind and try to help win ballgames from (that) side. That's going to be my goal." Ahead of Wednesday's finale against the Chicago Cubs, the Reds placed Pagán on the 15-day IL. The club also activated right-handed reliever Pierce Johnson from the bereavement list, selected the contract of right-hander Tejay Antone, optioned starter Chase Petty to Triple A and also transferred left-handed starter Brandon Williamson to the 60-day IL. Williamson left his last start after three innings with left shoulder fatigue. He will need to rest the shoulder for at least a week and building him back to start would take at least two months, even if all goes as planned, necessitating the 60-day move. Manager Terry Francona said there is no designated closer as of yet. "I don't think it makes a lot of sense just to name somebody (the closer)," Francona said. "I think some of it is dependent on how we get there, what the lineups look like and stuff like that." Aside from Pagán, four other Reds relievers have recorded a save this year: Tony Santillan, Graham Ashcraft, Connor Phillips and Brock Burke. Johnson's 16 career saves are the most by any pitcher currently in the team's bullpen, followed by Santillan (12) and Antone (three). Left-hander Sam Moll also has one save on his resume. Antone, 32, hasn't pitched in the big leagues since April 2024 when he suffered an elbow injury and underwent his third surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament. Pitching in the big leagues after a third UCL surgery isn't unprecedented, but there's not a lot of examples. Former Atlanta Braves reliever Johnny Venters returned after three Tommy John surgeries, pitching in 62 games between 2018-19 after missing six years following multiple surgeries. Antone underwent his first Tommy John surgery as a minor-leaguer and his second in 2021. He has remained with the Reds since then, spending much of his time between his home in the Dallas area and at the Reds' spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz. There, he has practically been another rehab coach for the organization, helping several players along in their process. He's also written a book to help other pitchers come back from Tommy John surgery, a topic he knows all too well from experience. After the Reds saw their closer carted off the field, followed by a second-straight walk-off loss that extended their losing streak to five games, Antone's return and Pagán's prognosis were welcome -- and seemingly rare -- pieces of good news. Left-hander Nick Lodolo is scheduled to make his season debut on Friday at Great American Ball Park against the Houston Astros as well. "He walked in today and I said, 'You know, on the heels of a pretty s -- y night, seeing you walk through that door was kind of uplifting,'" Francona said. "It's good for him and I hope it's good for us. ... I know a lot of guys when he walked through that door were pretty excited to see him." Antone should be more than a feel-good story; he's 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA in 12 appearances at Triple-A Louisville. He's allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits, with six walks against 15 strikeouts in 12 innings. "I really wanted to come back, but I don't want to say I was expecting it," Antone said. "I wasn't on the roster, I was just pitching the best I could, just hoping for an opportunity. ... I went out there and threw really well for the first month of the season and the Reds gave me this opportunity. I couldn't be happier."