The Cincinnati Reds were recently dealt a tough blow as closer Emilio Pagán opted out of his contract with the team, per a report from MLB insider Francys Romero.

"Sources: Emilio Pagán declined the Cincinnati Reds’ $10 million option for the 2027 season and will become a free agent, with a strong chance of landing a multi-year contract," Romero wrote in a post to X on Saturday. "Pagán had a notable second half of the season, going 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA, 29 SO in 26.1 IP and 18 SV."

This decision puts the Reds in a tough spot. Pagán is likely going to demand a two- or three-year contract while he's approaching age 40. He's still 35 years old, but he would be 37 or 38 years old by the time a multi-year deal ends.

The Reds need to find somebody to replace Pagán, though they could still attempt to re-sign the veteran. While the Reds' bullpen struggled quite a bit last season, there are multiple high-leverage relievers on the roster right now who could look to take Pagán's place.

Luis Mey is an Option as the Next Long-Term High-Leverage Reliever

One of the most intriguing options on the Reds' roster is Luis Mey. Mey has been inconsistent for a majority of his time in the spotlight, but he began finding his stride down the stretch last season. Mey's season ERA is a bit inflated because of a disastrous outing against the Milwaukee Brewers in which he surrendered eight earned runs in one inning. Aside from that outing, he was really good in the second half of the season.

Mey's slider is a devastating offering. It's one of the better offerings in the entire Reds organization and he pairs it with a sinker that he can run up to 100 miles per hour. The issue has always been throwing the ball over the plate, but for a chunk of last season, he was much better at that.

Now, Mey isn't ready to be a closer right now. But he has all the potential in the world. If he can make a few big steps in the right direction this offseason, he could be one of the higher-leverage relievers in Cincinnati, with a chance to steal the closer role if everything goes wrong for the rest of the bullpen.

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