On the back of a heater that averaged 95.8 mph and a tiny HR/FB rate of just 5.3%, Emilio Pagan limited opponents to just a .553 OPS across 69.1 brilliant innings for the Minnesota Twins in 2023. His 2.99 ERA and 3.27 FIP backed that up, too, if that’s more your thing when it comes to evaluating relief arms.
It was good enough to earn him a contract valued at two-years and $16 million with the chance for bonuses to add on to that, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal - with the Cincinnati Reds the ones who’ll be cutting the checks.