| Emilio Pagán | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Pagán with theTampa Bay Rays in 2019 | |||||||||||||||
| Free agent | |||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1991-05-07)May 7, 1991 (age 34) Simpsonville, South Carolina, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Bats: Left Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| May 3, 2017, for the Seattle Mariners | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |||||||||||||||
| Win–loss record | 28–27 | ||||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 3.66 | ||||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 581 | ||||||||||||||
| Saves | 65 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Emilio Enrique Pagán (born May 7, 1991) is an American professionalbaseballpitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theTampa Bay Rays,Seattle Mariners,Oakland Athletics,San Diego Padres,Minnesota Twins, andCincinnati Reds. He plays for thePuerto Rico national baseball team.
Pagán attendedJ. L. Mann High School inGreenville, South Carolina, and playedcollege baseball atBelmont Abbey College. He was drafted by theSeattle Mariners in the 10th round of the2013 Major League Baseball draft.[1]
After signing with the Mariners, Pagán made his professional debut that year with thePulaski Mariners. He was promoted to theEverett AquaSox in August. In 26.1 relief innings pitched between the two teams he was 1–1 with a 1.03 ERA and 35 strikeouts. In 2014, he pitched for theClinton LumberKings where he compiled a 2–3 record and 2.89 ERA in 42 relief appearances, and in 2015, he played with theBakersfield Blaze where he pitched to a 3–8 record and 2.53 ERA. Pagán spent 2016 with theJackson Generals andTacoma Rainiers, compiling a combined 5–3 record and 2.49 ERA in 65 innings pitched out of the bullpen.
Pagán was onPuerto Rico's roster for the2017 World Baseball Classic.[2] He began the season with Tacoma and was promoted to the major leagues on May 2. On May 3, 2017, he made his major league debut for the Mariners against theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim atSafeco Field. He was sent down and recalled multiple times during the season before he was recalled for the remainder of the season on July 7. In 34 relief appearances for Seattle, he was 2–3 with a 3.22 ERA, and in 23 appearances for Tacoma, he was 2–1 with a 2.56 ERA.[3]
On November 15, 2017, Pagán was traded to theOakland Athletics, along with Alexander Campos, in exchange forRyon Healy.[4] He began the season with Oakland, but was sent down to theNashville Sounds on May 2. He was recalled back to Oakland on May 18.
On December 21, 2018, the Athletics traded Pagán to theTampa Bay Rays in a three team deal in which the Rays also acquired Rollie Lacy and a competitive balance pick in the2019 MLB draft, the Athletics acquiredJurickson Profar, and theTexas Rangers acquiredBrock Burke,Kyle Bird, Yoel Espinal,Eli White, and $750,000 of international signing bonus pool space.[5]
In 2019, after an impressivespring training, Pagán was sent to the Triple-ADurham Bulls. He was recalled on April 16, afterBlake Snell fractured his toe. On April 19, Pagán was optioned to Durham whenCasey Sadler was recalled,[6] then Pagán was recalled two days later.[7] Pagán later on became the team's closer and finished the season recording 20 saves. He finished with a 2.31 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 70 innings.
On February 8, 2020, the Rays traded Pagán to theSan Diego Padres in exchange forManuel Margot andLogan Driscoll.[8] Through August 20, 2020, Pagán had blown 4 saves and pitched to a 7.36 ERA, but after that point he recorded 10 out of 11 scoreless innings, only surrendering 2 runs with a 1.64 ERA to finish the season.[9] Emilio finished 2020 with a 4.50 ERA for the Padres and a 4.83 ERA in 2021.[10]
The Padres traded Pagán,Chris Paddack and aplayer to be named later to theMinnesota Twins forTaylor Rogers,Brent Rooker, and cash considerations on April 7, 2022. The player to be named later was minor league pitcher Brayan Medina.[11] Pagán went 4–6 with a 4.43 ERA in 59 relief appearances during the 2022 season. He also recorded nine saves.[12]
The Twins and Pagán avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a one year, $3.5 million contract on January 13, 2023.[13] He went 5–2 with a 2.99 ERA during the 2023 season, recording one save. Pagán also made his first career major league start against theColorado Rockies as anopener on September 30.[14]
TheCincinnati Reds signed Pagán to a one-year contract with an option for a second season on December 1, 2023.[15] He began the 2024 season out of Cincinnati'sbullpen, compiling a 4.43 ERA with 26 strikeouts across 22 games. Pagán was placed on the injured list with a rightlat strain on June 9, and transferred to the 60–day injured list on June 27.[16] He was activated on August 10.[17]
Pagán pitched for thePuerto Rico national baseball team in the2017 World Baseball Classic and the2023 World Baseball Classic. He pitched two scoreless innings and helped Puerto Rico earn a silver medal in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.[18] Pagán pitched one scoreless inning for Puerto Rico during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, helping his team reach the quarterfinals.
