CINCINNATI — As soon as Pierce Johnson became a free agent, Emilio Pagán, who was also a free agent at the time, pitched the pair as a package deal.

Pagán, whose 32 saves were the second-most in the National League last season, re-signed with Cincinnati in December. On Thursday, the 34-year-old Johnson officially became a Red, signing a one-year, $6.5 million deal with a mutual option for a second.

Even before Pagán knew where he was going, he started the hard sell on Johnson.

“(It was) probably 10 minutes after I told him my option was declined,” Johnson said Thursday. “He and I talk every day. We’re super close. It was literally, ‘Hey man, where we trying to go?’”

Johnson said Pagán had told him he wanted to come back to Cincinnati, but as soon as Pagán signed his two-year deal to return to the Reds, his pitch became more focused.

“You’re coming here,” Johnson recalled Pagán telling him. “We’re going to get it done.”

And, a month later, “here we are and we got it done,” Johnson said.

The relief duo overlapped in San Diego during the 2020-21 seasons. There they met and became best friends. The two talk nearly every day and their families are also close, with Pagán offering the services of his wife, Jordyn, to help with his friend’s newborn. The two families even went to Disney World together last month.

The additions of Johnson, who had a 2.91 ERA in 147 games over the last three seasons with the Atlanta Braves, and lefty Caleb Ferguson last month solidify the Reds’ bullpen, which lost Nick Martinez, Scott Barlow and Brent Suter from last year’s group. The Reds could still add another lefty to go with Ferguson and Sam Moll, but the heavy lifting for rebuilding the bullpen is done.

With the bullpen either settled or nearly settled, the search for offensive additions begins.

Despite playing in homer-happy Great American Ball Park, the Reds finished the 2025 season 21st in the majors with 167 home runs, and their 716 total runs were four runs below the league average of 720 for the season.

While the team did make a run at free-agent designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, the Middletown, Ohio, native rebuffed his hometown team’s offer to return to the Philadelphia Phillies.

After whiffing on Schwarber, the team’s biggest move to date to help improve the offense has been the signing of 28-year-old outfielder JJ Bleday, who was non-tendered by the Athletics following a disappointing 2025 season.

The Reds’ infield, aside from first base, seems to be set with Elly De La Cruz at shortstop, Ke’Bryan Hayes at third and Matt McLain and Gavin Lux at second base. Outfield seems to be the best chance for the team to upgrade offensively. TJ Friedl is the incumbent in center field, and Noelvi Marte, who switched to the outfield last July, appears set to be the team’s everyday right fielder.

The Reds also have outfielders Will Benson, Blake Dunn, Rece Hinds, Dane Myers and Héctor Rodríguez on the 40-man roster ahead of the Feb. 14 reporting date for Reds position players.

Johnson, who appeared in four games against the Reds last season and allowed just one hit over 11 batters, said he likes what he sees with the Reds, including their offense.

“It’s a talented group and somebody, every year, is going to step up and maybe it’s someone you don’t expect,” Johnson said. “I’m excited to see because playing against them has always been a struggle — a lot of good at-bats and a lot of pesky hitters.”

Johnson started his career with the Chicago Cubs, who drafted him with the 43rd pick in the 2012 draft. Current Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson took over as the Cubs’ minor league pitching coordinator in 2013 and the pitcher has kept in touch with his coach.

“I’ve leaned on him for information and ideas throughout my entire career,” Johnson said.

Cincinnati will be Johnson’s sixth MLB organization, having also pitched for the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies, as well as the Hanshin Tigers in Japan.

“I think he’s excited to play for us, which is always a good thing,” Pagán said. “You bring in somebody to a team who wants to be there, then you’re going to get the best version of that player.”