On today's show we react to the Reds dropping the series against the Pirates where Emilio Pagan continued to struggle and the Reds bats remained cold. Also, the NFL thankfully is eliminating Monday Night Football doubleheaders and Bill Self will return to coach Kansas next season.

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Emilio Pagán was supposed to provide stability at the back end of the Cincinnati Reds bullpen to open 2026, but the early returns have been anything but steady. His outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday afternoon encapsulated the concerns: a ninth-inning unraveling that turned a competitive game into a lopsided loss.

Entering the frame with the Reds trailing by just one run, Pagán had an opportunity to keep the deficit manageable and give the offense a chance in the bottom half. Instead, the inning spiraled almost immediately. He allowed a leadoff single and then hit the next batter, putting himself in trouble before recording meaningful outs. A wild pitch compounded the issue, moving runners into scoring position and setting the stage for damage.

From there, the Pirates capitalized. A single brought in two runs, and shortly after, Bryan Reynolds delivered the decisive blow—a towering two-run homer that pushed the lead to 8-3 and effectively ended the game. What had been a tense, one-run contest quickly became a five-run gap, eliminating any realistic comeback chance.

This outing is part of a troubling pattern for Pagán to begin the season. He has already surrendered home runs in multiple appearances and has struggled to put together clean innings, even when not pitching in save situations. The inconsistency is particularly notable given his role and expectations after a strong 2025 campaign in which he converted 32 saves and solidified himself as the team’s closer.

The Reds are not yet at the point of making a change, but the warning signs are clear. Pagán’s command has wavered, his margin for error looks thin, and hitters are capitalizing on mistakes. If these ninth-inning struggles persist—especially outings like Wednesday’s four-run collapse—the Reds may be forced to reconsider their late-game hierarchy sooner rather than later.

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