Reds' Bullpen Geared Up for Another Look at Twins

Cincinnati's relief corps aims to build on Friday's strong outing against Minnesota

Apr. 18, 2026 at 10:22am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the dynamic action of a baseball game, with players and the field broken down into abstract shapes and planes of color.A cubist interpretation of the high-stakes matchup between the Reds' bullpen and the Twins' offense.Los Angeles Today

The Cincinnati Reds' bullpen, led by pitchers like Connor Phillips, Graham Ashcraft, Tony Santillan, and Emilio Pagan, appears to be in top form as the team prepares to face the Minnesota Twins in the middle game of their three-game series on Saturday. Pagan, who had been dealing with a hamstring injury, looked healthy in recording the save on Friday, and the Reds will turn to Andrew Abbott on the mound, hoping he can bounce back from a rough outing against the Angels. The Twins will counter with Taj Bradley, who has been impressive so far this season.

Why it matters

The Reds' bullpen has been a strength for the team, and their ability to shut down opposing offenses late in games will be crucial as they look to take the series from the Twins. Minnesota's offense struggled in the series opener, and they'll be looking to get their bats going against the Reds' pitching staff.

The details

In Friday's 2-1 win, the Reds' bullpen held the Twins to just two hits and no runs over the final 3 2/3 innings. Pagan, who had been dealing with a hamstring injury, looked healthy in recording the save, needing just 13 pitches to get through a 1-2-3 ninth inning. The Reds will turn to Andrew Abbott on Saturday, hoping he can bounce back from a rough outing against the Angels in which he gave up a career-high-tying seven runs. The Twins will counter with Taj Bradley, who has been impressive so far this season, posting a 3-0 record and a 1.25 ERA.

  • The series opener was played on Friday, April 18, 2026.
  • The middle game of the series will be played on Saturday, April 19, 2026.

The players

Connor Phillips

A Reds relief pitcher with a 2.25 ERA.

Graham Ashcraft

A Reds relief pitcher with a 1.64 ERA.

Tony Santillan

A Reds relief pitcher with a 0.00 ERA.

Emilio Pagan

The Reds' closer, who has six saves and a 4.35 ERA.

Andrew Abbott

The Reds' starting pitcher for Saturday's game, who has a 0-2 record and a 5.85 ERA.

Taj Bradley

The Twins' starting pitcher for Saturday's game, who has a 3-0 record and a 1.25 ERA.

Luke Keaschall

A Twins hitter who is batting .211 with one home run and nine RBIs on the season.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm getting through it. As long as I can do my delivery on the mound and not have to change any of that, I'll be fine.”

— Emilio Pagan, Reds Closer

“Just trying to get off quick, a natural reaction on a ball hit that way, I could just tell that it was tight, but as long as I can do my delivery … I like my chances.”

— Emilio Pagan, Reds Closer

“I hit into my first double play of the season with men on first and third. That's obviously not what I wanted to do. Every day we have to treat it as its own. Be present. Every day is a new day and we have to try and get the most out of each day. Try to be present and we'll get them back. We are ticked off, it's going to change soon.”

— Luke Keaschall, Twins Hitter

What’s next

The Reds and Twins will play the final game of their three-game series on Sunday, April 20, 2026.

The takeaway

The Reds' bullpen has been a strength for the team, and their ability to shut down opposing offenses late in games will be crucial as they look to take the series from the Twins. Minnesota's offense struggled in the series opener, and they'll be looking to get their bats going against the Reds' pitching staff in the remaining games.