Julian Garcia recorded the save.
The Cincinnati Reds came away with a wild 9-8 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday afternoon, powered by home runs from Sal Stewart, Eugenio Suárez, and Tyler Stephenson. Remarkably, all three players were also hit by a pitch during the game.
That unusual combination put the Reds in rare company. Cincinnati became only the fourth team since 1901 to have three players hit a home run while also getting hit by a pitch in the same game.
Despite the Reds taking a two-run advantage into the ninth inning, Julian Garcia was called upon to close things out instead of Emilio Pagán. The decision raised some eyebrows, particularly because Pagán had appeared only once during the previous eight days.
Reds broadcaster Jeff Brantley was particularly concerned about what the decision might indicate regarding Pagán’s condition.
“I think the concern here is about Emilio Pagan,” Brantley said during the ninth inning. “Once in eight days? Something is going on.”
Terry Francona Provides an Update
After the game, Reds manager Terry Francona addressed the media and provided an update on Pagan’s status. He revealed that the veteran reliever has been dealing with soreness in his hand and will undergo further evaluation.
“He’s got some hand soreness,” Francona said. “We are going to get him looked at tomorrow morning. He really wanted to pitch. I got a hard time sending him out there. We are going to get him looked at in the morning. If he gets checked out, then good, but just want to make sure he’s okay.”
Pagan has been outstanding for Cincinnati since returning from the injured list.
The right-hander has now gone nine consecutive appearances without giving up a run. During that span, he has allowed just four hits and has not issued a walk. Since being activated, Pagan is 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA and eight saves across 13 appearances. He has also recorded either a win or a save in each of his last nine outings, the longest such streak of his career and the longest by a Reds pitcher in a single season since Aroldis Chapman also put together a nine-game streak in 2015.
Cincinnati’s bullpen has been a major factor in the team’s recent improvement, and Pagan has been one of the most important pieces of that success.
If the veteran reliever is forced to spend any significant time on the sidelines, it would represent a major setback for the Reds.
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