Former Twins Pitcher Receiving Lots of Interest in Free Agency

This offseason the Minnesota Twins have plenty of heavy lifting to do. Derek Falvey wants fans to believe that the team will build around the group that remains. We will have to wait and see if that includes Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez staying put.

One thing is for certain, their bullpen needs to be completely overhauled. The massive exodus at the trade deadline wiped out virtually every relief arm.

Thankfully Falvey has proven relatively adept at building good bullpen groups. Emilio Pagan is a former success story for him, but don’t expect a reunion in the year ahead.

Emilio Pagan is a hot free agent commodity

Just before Opening Day of the 2022 season the Minnesota Twins flipped closer Taylor Rogers to the San Diego Padres for Emilio Pagan and Chris Paddack. The former was an immediately play while the latter was a long-term piece. Pagan wound up working out better than Paddack, and he’s put together some nice years since.

Now 34 years old, the veteran reliever is drawing significant interest on the open market. Cincinnati Reds beat writer Gordon Wittenmyer suggests the market is robust early for Pagan.

Insiders say he has at least 10 teams already showing interest in signing him as a free agent, a healthy enough market that the right-hander who made $8 million each of the last two seasons should command far north of that by the time guys like Edwin Diaz and Robert Suarez help establish the closer market.

Cincinnati Inquirer

Pagan spent the past two seasons pitching for the Reds, and it was his 2025 that really jumped off the page. Across 68 2/3 innings this past season, he posted a 2.88 ERA (3.72 FIP) with a 10.6 K/9.

Home runs have routinely been a problem for Pagan (1.5 HR/9 career) and replicating the 0.6 HR/9 from 2023 with the Twins didn’t seem likely in Cincinnati. Great American Ballpark favors hitters, and while Pagan allowed 1.4 HR/9 in his two seasons there, the overall results were still positive.

Emilio Pagán's 2Ks in the 9th. ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/joL3wXtDBb

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 5, 2025

There isn’t a serious concern for aging either. The 95.8 mph average fastball velocity in 2025 was the highest mark of his career. He’s a heavy four-seam, sinker, and cutter guy who misses bats and generates chase.

Each of the past two seasons Pagan has made $8 million with the Reds. It would hardly be a shock to see him get an annual bump from that, and there’s just no way the Minnesota Twins are going to play in that market. Minnesota needs bullpen help, and a reunion would work, but he’s at least $5 million to steep for the franchise.

The Seattle Mariners kicked off free agency spending by handing former Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor a five-year deal on Sunday night. Minnesota must protect their Rule 5 Draft eligible prospects before the Tuesday deadline.