Emilio Pagán's $10 Million Choice Will Shape the Reds Bullpen by Monday

Reds fans, the offseason gets real on Monday. And the first big call isn't even the front office's to make.

Our Take: Pagán finished like a closer you want back. If he picks up his option, the Reds keep a proven ninth-inning arm without having to shop for one in free agency, and that money is well spent for a bullpen with holes.

According to WKRC Local 12, Pagán holds a $10 million player option for 2027, and the deadline is Monday, Nov. 2. Because it's a player option, Pagán alone decides. Local 12 reports he missed nearly two months with a hamstring injury but came back to post a 1.88 ERA, 34 strikeouts and 19 saves over his final 30 appearances.

The same deadline covers mutual options for Eugenio Suárez ($16 million) and Pierce Johnson ($8 million), which both sides must agree to. Local 12 also notes the Reds finished last in the NL Central at 75-87, Hunter Greene is expected to miss most or all of 2027 after a second Tommy John surgery, and manager Terry Francona said, "We need to have a sense of urgency."

What to watch: Monday's decisions on all three options. Pagán's call tells you whether the Reds are hunting for a closer this winter or spending that energy on the rotation and the lineup instead.

Sources: WKRC Local 12, Blog Red Machine