Attended James J. Mann High School in Greenville, S.C. and Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, N.C....his father, Javier, was born in Puerto Rico.
2024
On 3/28 vs. WSH, along with Frankie Montas and Brent Suter, were the three pitchers used in the victory, with each making his team debut...Marked the first time since 1893 that this happened for CIN...Was also the first time this happened in the Majors since 4/6/15 for CHW (Jeff Samardzija, Dan Jennings, Kyle Drabek)...Allowed a home run in back-to-back outings on 5/3 and 5/5 vs. BAL...Was the first time he gave up a homer in consecutive apps since 9/7-9/12, 2021 for SD...On 5/7 vs. AZ became the seventh Cin reliever since 1893 with three or more strikeouts on his birthday (turned 33), the first since Jared Burton on 6/2/09 at STL (turned 28)...On 5/19 at LAD left the game with a right triceps issue...On 5/23 was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to 5/20 (right triceps tightness)...On 6/6 was activated from the 15-day injured list...Made one appearance on 6/8 vs. CHC before returning to the 15-day injured list on 6/9 (right lat strain)...On 6/27 was transferred to the 60-day injured list...From 8/3 to 8/8 made three rehab appearances (1 SV, 3 IP, 2 H, 2R/2ER, 3 K) with AAA-Louisville before being activated from the 60-day injured list on 8/10...On 8/14 vs. STL made only his second start in the Majors (also: 9/30/23 for MIN at COL)...On 9/2 vs. HOU, pitched in his 400th Major League game...In that outing pitched 2.1 innings, his longest outing since 6/1/23 for MIN vs. CLE (also 2.1 IP)...On 9/10 at STL earned his first save in the Majors since 9/29/23 for MIN at COL...From 8/29 vs. OAK to 9/17 vs. ATL had a season-high 8.2-inning scoreless streak...His strikeout of Bo Naylor on 9/25 at Cle was the 500th of his Major League career...From 9/24 to 9/25 at Cle was scored upon in back-to-back appearances...Was the second time in 2024 (also: 5/3 and 5/5 vs. BAL) that he was scored upon in consecutive outings...Also gave up multiple runs in each game...Was the seventh time in his career (last: 8/9-8/13, 2022 for MIN) allowing multiple runs in back-to-back appearances.
2023
For the American League Central Division champion Twins made 66 appearances, tied for second-most in a season in his career...his five wins were a career high...Held opponents to a .249 on-base percentage, the lowest among Major League relievers who made at least 65 appearances...among those qualifiers also ranked second-best in OPS (.559) and WHIP (0.97) and fifth in opponents' batting average (.184)...Ranked second on the staff in appearances and T3rd with nine holds...Posted ERAs of 6.30 in April, 3.09 in May, 2.84 in June, 1.50 in July, 3.75 in August and 0.82 in September...In his last 34 appearances of the season beginning 7/7 posted a 1.87 ERA...Posted ERAs of 3.52 without rest, 2.78 with one day of rest and 0.66 on two days' rest...Didn't allow a home run until his 16th appearance of the season...Overall allowed just five HR in 69.1 innings, the best ratio of his career (0.65 HR / 9 IP)...Made his only career start in the 14-6 win on 9/30/23 at Col, threw a scoreless first inning the day after saving the previous night's 7-6 win...was his final appearance of the 2023 season...became the fourth Twins pitcher (since 1961) to start after finishing the previous day's game...was the first Twins pitcher to start the day after recording a save...In the 11-5 loss on 4/20 at Fenway Park allowed a career-high six runs in 1.2 innings...his season ERA in his other 65 appearances was 2.26...entered the game in the second inning after starter Kenta Maeda was hit by a comebacker...In his only appearance for Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, threw a scoreless inning (1h, 1bb, 1k) vs Nicaragua.
2022
Began season in Minnesota's bullpen after being acquired the day before Opening Day, April 7, from San Diego in a trade, along with right-handed pitcher Chris Paddack, in exchange for left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers and outfielder Brent Rooker...Was the club's closer through mid-June, going 9-for-12 in save situations from April 10-June 13... earned first save as a Twin on April 21 at Kansas City, pitching 1.0 scoreless inning...Earned first win as a Twin on May 23 vs. Detroit, setting season-high with four strikeouts (2.0 IP)...Posted an ERA of 2.12 (17.0 IP, 4 ER) with opponents hitting .200 in 17 appearances through the end of May, but posted a 11.42 ERA (8.2 IP, 11 ER) with three blown saves in 10 June games...Appeared in 300th career major league game Sept. 23 vs. Los Angeles-AL...Recorded a strikeout in season-high 14-straight games from Aug. 21-Oct. 4 (24 K/18.2 IP), longest of career...Went 0-1, 9.90 ERA (10.0 IP, 11 ER) in 10 games vs. Cleveland and 4-5, 3.40 ERA (53.0 IP, 20 ER) in 49 games vs. the rest of the league...Finished the season going 0-0, 2.16 ERA (16.2 IP, 4 ER) with eight walks, 21 strikeouts and a .169 opponent batting average in final 13 appearances from Aug. 23-end of season...Struck out multiple batters in 28 of 59 games and three-plus batters in eight games...Held left-handed batters to a .213 average with three home runs and a .613 OPS, compared to a .270 average with nine home runs and a .903 OPS vs. righties...Posted a 1.71 home runs-per-9.0 innings pitched ratio, the fourth-highest in the AL...Posted a 12.00 strikeouts-per-9.0 IP ratio, second-best on the club and 10th-best in Twins history (since 1961)…the 12.00 K/9.0 IP ratio ranked 13th-best among AL relievers...his 30.7 strikeout percent ranked in the 90th percentile in baseball...Posted a 30.5 whiff percentage, ranking in the 84th percentile in baseball...Allowed an opponent batting average of .218 (24-for-110) with 42 strikeouts on his fastball...ranked in the 94th percentile in baseball in fastball spin rate (2,517)…Selected to pitch for Team Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, marking second career selection (also 2017).
2021
Led the SD bullpen with 19 holds and set career highs in appearances (67, T-2nd in SD’s pen) and IP (63.1 IP, 4th in SD’s pen)…his four wins tied his career-high from 2019 with TB... Earned the winning decision in both of SD’s first two games and was scoreless across his first seven appearances of the season from April 1-16 (6.0 IP), allowing just three hits... Went on to record three other scoreless appearances spanning at least 6.0 IP across 6+ appearances, including a season-high 7.1 consecutive scoreless IP across eight appearances from July 22-Aug. 8... The Padres won seven straight games in which Pagan appeared in from May 5-25, with Pagan going 1-0 with two holds, a 2.57 ERA and 0.71 WHIP during that stretch... The club won 10 of the final 11 games in which Pagan appeared in to close out the first half, including 10 in a row, from June 17-July 11…he went 1-0 with 5 holds, a 2.45 ERA and 0.91 WHIP over that span... Took a 3.31 season ERA into September, but posted a 14.00 ERA (14 ER, 19.0 IP) in his 11 Sept/Oct outings to finish the season with a 4.83 ERA…among all ML pitchers with min. 50.0 IP entering Sept. 1 and 9.0 IP from Sept. 1 to the end of season since 2000, the +1.52 ERA increase was the 4th-highest in the majors, behind only Edwin Jackson in 2017 (+1.88), Luis Perez in 2011 (+1.83) and Austin Gomber in 2018 (+1.67)... He allowed multiple runs in five of his 11 final outings, including a career-high-tying four earned runs and three HR in his penultimate outing of the campaign on 9/29 @ LAD... His 16 HR allowed were the most by any ML reliever in ’21, while his 2.27 HR/9 IP ratio was 4th-highest in the NL and 7th-highest in the majors among qualifying pitchers... Avoided an IL stint all season long, having only one IL stint in his five seasons (9/2-10 in the 2020 season)... Posted a 3.65 ERA with a .173 opp. AVG at Petco Park as opposed to a 6.49 ERA with a .303 AVG on the road... Relied on three pitches: 4-Seam Fastball (61%), Cutter (38%) and Changeup (1%)…his 4-seamer had a 2520 rpm spin rate, ranking in the 91st percentile.
2020
Despite a stint on the 10-day IL (right bicep inflammation), his 22 appearances were 4th-most out of the SD bullpen...Over his 1st 11 outings, went 0-1 with 6 holds and a 7.36 ERA while converting 0 of his 4 save opportunities...Went scoreless in 10 of his final 11 outings to close out the regular season, posting a 1.64 ERA and .132 opponent clip...Posted a season-high 7.0 scoreless inning streak across 7 app. from Aug. 21-Sept. 16, allowing just 2 hits (.087 AVG)...The Padres were 16-6 in games in which he appeared...His blown 5 saves tied with WSH's Daniel Hudson for the most in the majors... Relied on 4 pitches: four-seamer (62.3%), cutter (35.5%), curve (1.9%) and sinker (0.3%)...13 of the 14 opposing hits came vs. the four seamer.
POSTSEASON: Appeared in 5 of the Padres' 6 postseason games, allowing 0 runs and 2 hits (.118 AVG) and 2 BB (0.80 WHIP)... tossed scoreless 7th frames in both Wild Card victories vs. STL, earning his 1st career postseason victory in Game 2 and his 2nd postseason hold in Game 3.
2019
Despite spending the 1st 2 weeks in Triple-A, led the TB bullpen with 20 saves and 96 SO in 66 appearances…set career bests in ERA (2.31), appearances, innings pitched (70.0), strikeouts, WHIP (0.83) and opponent AVG (.179)...Recorded the 3rd-highest strikeout total in Rays history for a reliever, behind Ryan Yarbrough (106) in 2018 and Brad Boxberger (104) in 2014…was T-5th among AL relievers...Ranked fifth in the AL with 15 saves after the All-Star break...Held opponents to a .179 AVG, T-4th-lowest among AL relievers…posted an identical .179 clip to both left-and right-handed batters, yielding 6 HR to both sides...His 0.83 WHIP ranked 2nd among AL relievers, trailing only OAK Yusmeiro Petit (0.81)...Allowed 12 HR, all in 46 appearances from June 11 through season's end, after 0 HR in his first 20 appearances…has yielded 25 HR over the past 2 seasons, tied with HOU Joe Biagini for most among ML relievers over that span...Finished with a 7.38 SO/BB ratio, compared to 3.32 SO/BB with OAK in 2018…had 37 SO and 1 BB in his last 25 app...In his fourth appearance with the Rays on April 22 vs. KC, he pitched a perfect 9th inning for his 1st-career save...Recorded scoreless streaks of 16 appearances and 17.2 IP from April 21-May 31…was the longest scoreless appearance streak of his career and the longest appearance streak by a Rays pitcher since Steve Cishek (18) from July 29-Sept. 5, 2017...On May 7 vs. ARI, struck out the side on 13 pitches (10 strikes) in the 8th inning…became the 2nd pitcher in franchise history to pitch on his birthday and strike out every batter faced, following Brad Boxberger (0.1 IP) on May 27, 2014 at TOR...On Aug 29 at HOU, inherited 2-on, 2-out in the 7th inning and his only run allowed in 2.1 IP was a solo homer in the 9th…became the 1st Ray with a traditional save of 7+ outs since Grant Balfour (2.1 IP) on June 11, 2014 vs. STL...Made his 1st-career postseason appearance by retiring both batters faced in the AL Wild Card Game at OAK, ending a 5-1 win…his first 2 appearances in the ALDS against the Astros were scoreless, but he allowed solo homers to Michael Brantley and Jose Altuve in Game 5.
2018
Made 55 apps over three stints with the Athletics, his first season in the organization… was on the active roster from Opening Day- May 1, May 18-Aug 25 and Aug 26 through the end of the season…returned for his third stint following an injury to Sean Manaea...Held right-handed hitters to a .196/.249/.380 (31-for-158) line, while lefties hit .296/.376/.654 (24-for-81) against him...Recorded 4 outs or more in 15 of his 55 apps… went at least 2 IP in 10 apps...Twenty-nine of his 55 hits allowed (52.7 pct.) went for extra bases…yielded 13 HR, tied for 3rd among major league relievers...In his first 17 apps of his second stint, recorded a 0.81 ERA (22.1-IP, 2-ER) with 29 SO to lower his season ERA from 5.93 to 2.75…in his final 26 apps of the season, pitched to a 6.58 ERA (26-IP, 19-ER) to increase his ERA to 4.35...On April 20 vs. BOS, inherited the bases loaded and allowed a grand slam to Mitch Moreland on the first pitch of his outing...On Aug 19 at HOU, went a season-high 3 IP but yielded 3 HR, all solo shots...POSTSEASON: Was on the Athletics roster for the Wild Card Game against the Yankees but did not pitch...Acquired by the Rays in a three-team trade with the Rangers on Dec 21.
2017
Made his Major League debut with Seattle and was 2-3 with a 3.22 ERA in 34 relief appearances over four stints…struck out 56 batters in 50.1 innings (10.01 strikeouts per nine innings) and walked just eight (1.43 per nine innings) for a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 7.00…ranked fifth among American League relievers in walks per nine innings, sixth in strikeout-to-walk ratio and 10th in opponents on-base percentage (.246)…allowed a .212 opponents batting average, which included .189 (23-for-122) against right-handed hitters compared to .258 (16-for-62) against lefthanders…surrendered four of his seven home runs to lefties for a .532 slugging percentage (.279 against righties)…had a .136 opponents batting average with two outs, .149 with two strikes and .172 with runners in scoring position…opponents were 0-for-12 with RISP and two outs and 0-for-5 with the bases loaded…first batters faced were 8-for-34 (.235) with no walks and a home run (.324 slugging percentage)…allowed 4-of-16 (25.0%) inherited runners to score…compiled a 1.74 ERA and .153 opponents batting average in 13 day games compared to a 4.25 ERA and .250 opponents batting average in 21 games at night…had a 4.32 ERA in 15 outings on one day of rest or fewer, a 2.67 ERA in 19 appearances on two days rest or more…posted a 5.71 ERA in 16 games against AL West competition, 1.91 in 18 games against everyone else…logged a 1.35 ERA in three interleague appearances…tossed two or more innings in 12 of his 34 appearances…pitched for Puerto Rico in the 2017 World Baseball Classic and did not allow a run in two appearances (2.0 ip, 1 h, 1 bb).
SEATTLE: Was selected from Triple-A Tacoma May 2 and made his Major League debut the next day against Los Angeles (AL)…relieved Hisashi Iwakuma with a runner on first and no outs in the sixth inning and the Mariners leading 4-2…allowed a Valbuena single, a Simmons sacrifice fly, a Revere single and a Pennington RBI single (0.1 ip, 3 h, 3 r, 3 er)…the three runs were a season-high (also Aug. 3 at Kansas City and Sept. 17 at Houston)…allowed two runs in his next appearance May 5 against Texas…struck out Gallo with two outs in the 11th inning for his first strikeout but allowed two runs in the 13th inning for the loss…had a 16.88 ERA in two games when he was optioned to Tacoma May 6…then logged a 2.45 ERA over his final 32 contests…was recalled for his second stint May 22 and tossed a season-high 4.0 scoreless innings of relief the next day in the Mariners 10-1 loss at Washington…went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in that game in his first at bats as a professional…was optioned back to Tacoma May 24…returned June 10 and faced Toronto the next day…matched his season high with 4.0 scoreless and hitless innings of relief and struck out a season-high five (1 bb) and was sent back to Tacoma June 12…recalled for his fourth stint July 7 and spent the remainder of the season with the Mariners, logging a 2.95 ERA over his final 30 games…did not allow a run in his first game back on July 16 at Chicago (AL), giving him a season-high 10.1-inning scoreless streak dating back to May 23…walked two batters in 2.1 innings that day, his only outing with more than one walk…earned his first ML win Aug. 9 at Oakland when he tossed 2.2 scoreless innings in the Mariners 6-3 win.
TACOMA: Began the season at Tacoma and went 2-1 with five saves and a 2.56 ERA in 23 relief appearances with the Rainiers…did not allow a home run in 31.2 innings…struck out 36, an average of 10.23 per nine innings…allowed a .171 opponents batting average, including .157 (11-for70) against right-handed hitters compared to .195 (8-for-41) against left-handers…opponents hit .133 with runners in scoring position…yielded a .267 average to batters leading off an inning… allowed 2-of-12 (16.7%) inherited runners to score…converted all five of his save opportunities… posted a 0.53 ERA in 13 games at home, a 4.91 ERA in 10 contests on the road…issued a seasonhigh three walks April 18 at El Paso and had seven walks over his first five games and 9.0 innings through April 24…then walked just one batter over his final 22.2 innings…allowed a season-high three runs April 24 at Albuquerque…recorded his first save and struck out a season-high four batters April 29 against Sacramento…had a 3.27 ERA in six relief appearances when he was recalled by Seattle the first time May 2…returned May 6 and logged a 3.18 ERA in four games before returning to the Mariners May 22…pitched five times during his third stay from May 24 to June 9 (3.68 ERA)…did not allow a run over his final 11 games (13.2 ip) with Tacoma beginning June 3… tossed a season-high 2.2 scoreless innings June 5 against Reno…was on the temporary inactive list from June 13 to 16 for the birth of his child…returned to Seattle for good on July 7.
