The Cincinnati Reds suffered a tough blow during their 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs, as closer Emilio Pagán was carted off the field with a left hamstring injury in the ninth inning. The right-hander is now headed to the injured list, leaving a significant gap in the Reds' bullpen.

The injury occurred with the game tied at 2. As Pagán delivered his first pitch to Cubs' Nico Hoerner, he immediately hopped off the mound in visible pain, clutching his left hamstring before collapsing to the ground. Reds training and medical staff rushed to his side, and when helped to his feet, Pagán couldn't put weight on his left leg and was assisted into a cart.

Manager Terry Francona expressed concern for his reliever, noting, "He is such an integral part of what we do. He's struggling right now, and we've got to be there for him." The team will have a clearer picture of the injury's severity after Pagán undergoes scans.

Rookie right-hander Jose Franco stepped in and walked Hoerner but managed to escape the inning without further damage, sending the game to extra innings. Unfortunately, the Reds couldn't pull out the win in the 10th.

This setback adds to what has been a challenging start for Pagán, who entered the game with a 6.43 ERA and three blown saves in 14 innings this season. Just the night before, he allowed a game-winning home run to Michael Conforto in a 5-4 loss to the Cubs. Interestingly, Pagán had tweaked the same hamstring on the final pitch of the Reds' 2-1 win over the San Francisco Giants, though he downplayed it the next day, saying it wasn't as serious as feared.

Francona added, "I just went and saw him. He said he hadn't felt it. He said he warmed up fine. He goes 'I would never do that.' I believe him."

For Reds fans, this injury is a tough pill to swallow, especially as the team navigates a tight division race. Stay tuned for updates on Pagán's recovery and how the Reds plan to fill the void in the closer role.