CINCINNATI -- Closer Emilio Pagán hadn't even re-signed with the Reds yet and he was already giving a hard sell about Cincinnati to fellow free agent and best friend Pierce Johnson.
“Within probably 10 minutes after me telling him my option was declined [on Nov. 6]," Johnson said. "He and I talk every day. It was literally, ‘Hey man, where are we trying to go?' Then Cincinnati ended up signing him [Dec. 4] and he was like, ‘You’re coming here. We’re getting it done, we’re getting it done.’ And here we are, we got it done.”
After he passed his physical on Thursday, the right-handed Johnson and the Reds finalized a one-year, $6.5 million contract with an $8 million mutual option for 2027. The option has a $1 million buyout. The deal was agreed upon Sunday.
Pagán, who signed a two-year, $20 million contract to return to the Reds, played with Johnson in San Diego during the 2020-21 seasons. Their wives are close friends, and their kids are around the same ages.
"The fact that we get to be reunited again is pretty special for both of us and our families," Johnson said. “We actually did Disney World together this year, which was awesome. We spend as much time with them as we can, and this year we get to spend even more.”
Naturally, Pagán was thrilled with his friend's addition.
"I was trying to push him in this direction as much as I could," Pagán said. "It definitely makes our bullpen -- in my opinion, on paper -- a strength. Adding his experience, his ability with what he’s done the last 2 1/2 years since he was traded to Atlanta, it’s going to be fun."
Johnson, 34, was 3-3 with a 3.05 ERA and 1.203 WHIP over 65 appearances in 2025 for the Braves. Before he surrendered four runs in one inning on Sept. 26 vs. the Pirates, he had a 1.56 ERA over 38 games dating back to June 13. He became a free agent when the Braves declined a $7 million club option.
Among the Reds' draws for Johnson was pitching coach Derek Johnson, who is not related, and the résumé of manager Terry Francona. Derek Johnson was named the Cubs' Minor League pitching coordinator just after Pierce Johnson was that organization's first-round Draft pick in 2012.
"I’ve leaned on him for information and ideas throughout my entire career," Johnson said of the Reds' pitching coach. "He and I have had a great relationship. Obviously, Tito [is] a Hall of Fame manager. [This is] a young team that is super talented; they made the playoffs last year. I feel like it’s a place that I can fit in pretty well and hopefully be an anchor in that bullpen and a little bit of a leader."
In 330 games over eight seasons for the Cubs, Giants, Padres, Rockies and Braves, Johnson has a 3.79 ERA. His career also included a 2019 season spent pitching for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan.
“I’ve done a lot of different things and I’ve played this game for a long time, so I’ve been able to learn a lot," Johnson said. "I’m still constantly learning -- but for the young guys, I just want to be someone that they can just ask questions and just be open and honest. I can help them out with whatever adversity comes their way. I’ve learned how to ride those highs and lows, and make those lows shorter and the highs higher and longer.”
Johnson held righties to a .622 OPS and had a 40-to-3 K-to-BB ratio against them, but lefties touched him up for an .800 OPS, while walking 16 times against just 19 K’s. Since returning from Japan, the curveball has become his top pitch, and he took its usage to another level after coming to Atlanta. He threw it more than 70 percent of the time in both 2024 and ‘25.
"And once I finally got to Atlanta, they were like, ‘Hey, your curveball is obviously your best pitch. We’re going to lean on it a little bit heavier.’ And we did, and things seemed to kind of fall into place for me," said Johnson, who also uses a mid-90s four-seam fastball and a cutter.
"We don’t really have a guy like that," Pagán said. "It’s just another different look that Tito can go to so the opposing team isn’t getting comfortable up there.”
Reloading the bullpen after the free-agent departures of Nick Martinez, Scott Barlow and Brent Suter has been a priority for the Reds' front office this offseason. Besides bringing back Pagán to close, left-hander Caleb Ferguson was signed to a one-year, $4.5 million contract last month.
To make room for Johnson on the Reds' 40-man roster, righty reliever Yosver Zulueta was designated for assignment.