Emilio Pagán Agrees to One-Year, $11 Million Deal With Tigers

The Detroit Tigers have reached a reported one-year, $11 million agreement with right-handed reliever Emilio Pagán, adding an experienced late-inning arm as they begin reshaping their bullpen for 2027. The deal is pending a physical and had not been formally confirmed by the club at the time of publication.

Pagán, 35, saved 57 games for the Cincinnati Reds over the past two seasons. He posted a 3.38 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings in 2026 despite missing nearly two months with a hamstring strain.

Detroit targets swing-and-miss relief

The move directly addresses one of Detroit’s clearest offseason priorities. Tigers relievers averaged 8.36 strikeouts per nine innings in 2026, the third-lowest rate in the American League and 23rd among the 30 MLB clubs.

President of baseball operations Scott Harris said this week that Detroit wanted more swing-and-miss ability at the back of the bullpen, along with a stable veteran presence capable of retiring hitters from both sides of the plate.

Pagán fits that profile after limiting opponents to a .185 batting average across the past two seasons. He combined for a 3.07 ERA over 111 1/3 innings in 2025 and 2026, relying primarily on a four-seam fastball that averaged 94.9 mph last season, plus a cutter and splitter.

Pagán could replace Kenley Jansen’s late-inning role

Detroit opened its bullpen overhaul by declining its option on veteran closer Kenley Jansen. While manager A.J. Hinch will ultimately determine the ninth-inning roles, Pagán’s recent closing experience makes him an immediate candidate for high-leverage work.

The right-hander has pitched 10 major league seasons for the Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres, Minnesota Twins and Cincinnati Reds. One of his strongest seasons came with Minnesota in 2023, when he recorded a 2.99 ERA across 69 1/3 innings and helped the Twins reach the postseason.

Detroit’s reported agreement is an aggressive early step in a free-agent relief market without many established closers. Pagán would enter his age-36 season as the veteran anchor of a group that the Tigers have said needs more strikeouts, reliability and late-game depth.