Reds closer Emilio Pagán moves to the next stage of hamstring rehab after first bullpen session

Emilio Pagán’s rehab for a left hamstring strain took a visible step forward this week as the Reds’ closer threw his first bullpen session during his throwing program. The session came after Pagán checked in with the Reds’ training staff and team doctor Tim Kremchek, a process that set the tone for how quickly the organization could advance him without forcing the calendar. In San Diego, Pagán got on the mound in Petco Park and focused on the mechanics and intent his body could support.

According to MLB reporting from the team, Pagán threw 20 pitches and was able to use his full repertoire. The right-hander, 35, described the day positively, saying it “went great,” and that he felt really good the previous day and tried to be smart throughout the process. Head trainer Sean McQueeney was among the staff supervising the session, reflecting how carefully this stage is being managed. For a reliever whose job depends on repeatable effort, the first bullpen is less about workload and more about confidence in how the hamstring responds to the stress of throwing.

Reds manager Terry Francona characterized the progress as encouraging but still cautious. He said the early read from Pagán’s work was that the effort was a little more aggressive than the team wanted, which Francona suggested was consistent with Pagán’s competitiveness and belief in pushing through. That is precisely why the monitoring matters, because a hamstring injury can look fine in short bursts yet flare with added intent. Francona’s message, per the team’s reporting, was that the Reds will continue to “sit on” the process until there is more information, even if the temptation is to accelerate once a good session happens.

The next checkpoint is medical. Pagán is scheduled to undergo another follow-up MRI on Saturday, which the organization is treating as the decisive hurdle in the timeline toward increasing intensity. After that scan, the staff plans to let him get off the mound with “some more intent,” a phrase that underlines how the plan is staged rather than time-based. The Reds are also keeping the near-term cadence in motion, with another bullpen slated for Wednesday followed by the Saturday MRI, creating a short runway of work while still respecting the hamstring’s healing window.

If Saturday’s results come back clean and Pagán wakes up without soreness, the expectation, as described in the reporting, is that he could push toward facing hitters quickly. Pagán said he would likely try to face hitters as fast as possible, with a goal of around Tuesday if his recovery is smooth after the bullpen on Saturday. That would represent a major practical step for a closer, because the transition from bullpen throwing to live hitting is where timing, velocity, and lower-body stability all get tested at game speed.

Pagán has been on the injured list since May 6, when the injury was tied to his May 5 appearance against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The initial timeline for return was described as roughly four to eight weeks, and Pagán himself prefers not to fixate on a schedule. Instead, he is approaching his rehab by how his body feels and by what the medical follow-ups show. The Reds, meanwhile, appear prepared to let “good” sessions earn their way forward, but only after the next imaging check confirms there is no lingering risk.

For Cincinnati, the immediate impact is roster planning and late-inning security. The longer Pagán is out, the more the bullpen hierarchy has to absorb the gap, and every advanced stage of rehab affects how the team can stabilize game management down the stretch. The next 72 hours will clarify whether the hamstring remains calm through additional bullpen work, and Saturday’s MRI will likely determine whether the Reds move from controlled throwing to a faster, hitter-facing progression. Until then, the focus remains on measured movement rather than recovery by optimism.