Emilio Pagán DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Emilio Pagan secured his fourth save of the season on Saturday, pitching a perfect ninth inning in the Reds' 5-;2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. With closer Alexis Diaz (hamstring) sidelined, Pagan has stepped up as Cincinnati's primary ninth-inning option, converting all four of his save opportunities. He has allowed just one earned run over 7.1 innings, showcasing a 1.23 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP. With his role as the Reds' closer becoming more solidified, fantasy managers in need of saves should turn to Pagan if he is available. He should retain value until Diaz returns, and even then he could push for saves given Diaz's struggles last season.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Emilio Pagan recorded his second save in Tuesday's 1-0 win over the San Francisco Giants. He did not allow a hit or a free pass and needed just seven pitches (six strikes) to close out their National League opponents. Pagan is now 2-for-2 on save chances with three strikeouts and a 0.40 WHIP over his first five appearances -- allowing a single hit and no runs in five innings. Teammate Tony Santillan has also picked up a save in the early going, but it appears Pagan will get most of the opportunities for now. It's also worth mentioning that fellow bullpen arm Graham Ashcraft could eventually be in line for some save chances. He has yet to allow a run in his 5.1 innings and was rumored to be working his way toward high-leverage situations late last month.

Cincinnati Reds right-handed reliever Emilio Pagan could be the favorite for saves after he was seen warming up in the bullpen in the bottom of the eighth inning of Sunday's loss to the San Francisco Giants. Pagan also pitched in the first two games of the series against San Fran and recorded the save on Saturday. Manager Terry Francona refused to name a set closer to enter the year with Alexis Diaz (hamstring) on the injured list, but after the first series of the season, it looks pretty clear that Pagan is Francona's top option for the ninth. Diaz has no timeline for a return and won't necessarily be handed closing duties when he's back, considering his rough showing in spring training. In addition to Pagan, Tony Santillan might be next in line for fantasy managers scrounging for save opps. He pitched scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth with the Reds up by a run on both Thursday and Saturday.