Benson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.
After beginning the season with starts in Cincinnati's first five games against right-handed pitching, Benson finds himself on the bench Sunday for the fourth time in the past six contests, all of which have been versus righties. Noelvi Marte is starting in right field and batting eighth in the series finale versus the Halos and appears to be the Reds' preferred primary option at the position.
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Reds' Will Benson: Out of Saturday's lineup
Rotowire
Benson isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels.
Benson will retreat to the bench Saturday after going 0-for-7 with two walks and four strikeouts over his last four contests. Spencer Steer, TJ Friedl and Noelvi Marte will form Cincinnati's outfield trio while Benson sits.
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Reds' Will Benson: Taking seat Thursday
Rotowire
Benson is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game in Miami.
After starting each of the first five games against righties this season, the left-handed-hitting Benson has now been in the lineup just two times across the Reds' last four tilts versus right-handed pitching. TJ Friedl, Dane Myers and Spencer Steer will form the Reds' outfield trio.
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Reds' Will Benson: Time share in RF continues
Rotowire
Benson started in right field and went 1-for-4 in Monday's 2-0 win over the Marlins.
Benson and Noelvi Marte have alternated starts in right field since Opening Day; neither has started consecutive days there, although Benson did make one start in left field. It's worked out so that the righty-hitting Marte was in the lineup whenever the Reds faced a lefty, but right field has been a true job share between the two. Benson is batting .238 (5-for-21) with two extra-base hits and one RBI through nine games played.
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Reds' Will Benson: Delivers run in win
Rotowire
Benson started in right field and went 1-for-3 with a triple and an RBI in Monday's 2-0 win over Pittsburgh.
Benson delivered the Reds' second run in the fourth inning, his first extra-base hit and RBI of the season. He's started two games in right field thus far, both against right-handers. Noelvi Marte has started against lefties.
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Reds' Will Benson: Getting another start versus righty
Rotowire
Benson will start in right field and bat seventh in Monday's game against the Pirates.
The left-handed-hitting Benson has started in right field both times the Reds have faced a right-hander, while the righty-swinging Noelvi Marte has held down the position against both lefties. Marte is not going to be a strict short-side platoon bat, but Benson looks to have the early leg up on him when it comes to playing time versus righties.
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Reds' Will Benson: Legs out homer
Rotowire
Benson went 1-for-4 with a two-run, inside-the-park home run in Sunday's spring game against the Diamondbacks.
Benson legged out what looked like a garden-variety double down the line in right field, but he was able to touch all the bases when the ball got behind the outfielder. It was the third home run of the spring for Benson, who is locked in a battle with Rece Hinds and JJ Bleday for a depth spot in the outfield. Reds manager Terry Francona may want an extra left-handed bat, which would eliminate Hinds. All three outfielders have minor-league options remaining.
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Reds' Will Benson: Settles with Reds
Rotowire
The Reds and Benson avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.725 million contract Thursday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Benson had been arbitration-eligible for the first time. The 27-year-old slashed .226/.273/.435 with 12 long balls over 90 contests for the Reds in 2025. He could open the 2026 season as the Reds' left fielder against right-handed pitching, though he will have competition for playing time.
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Reds' Will Benson: Sitting Saturday
Rotowire
Benson isn't part of the starting lineup for Saturday's game against Milwaukee.
Benson will be on the bench for a second straight game, as southpaw Robert Gasser takes the mound for the Brewers on Saturday. Benson hasn't logged multiple hits in a game since Aug. 1, but he's hitting .234 during that stretch. Spencer Steer, TJ Friedl and Noelvi Marte will fill the outfield from left to right.
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Reds' Will Benson: Filling in at left field
Rotowire
Benson started in left field and went 0-for-3 in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Pirates.
Benson made a second consecutive start in left field with Austin Hays (back) unavailable. Hays ran the field Tuesday and reported the back did not respond well to the activity, per MLB.com, which suggests more opportunities for Benson if opponents start a right-hander. That will be the case Wednesday, when Pittsburgh is scheduled to throw Paul Skenes (2.03 ERA).
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Reds' Will Benson: Fills in at center field
Rotowire
Benson started in center field and went 0-for-5 in Wednesday's 6-2 win over St. Louis.
Benson got the start in center field, which is normally the purview of TJ Friedl, who was given the day off. Benson is experiencing an uptick in playing time and has started five of the last six games, playing every spot of the outfield. He's gone 4-for-16 with two home runs, one triple and five RBI during that stretch.
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Reds' Will Benson: Sitting after three straight starts
Rotowire
Benson is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cardinals.
After making starts at three different outfield spots and going 3-for-8 with two home runs, one triple, one walk and four RBI during the Reds' weekend series in Sacramento, the left-handed-hitting Benson will hit the bench while St. Louis sends southpaw Matthew Liberatore to the hill. Despite his big weekend, Benson is still likely to be more of a part-time presence in the lineup versus right-handed pitching while all of Austin Hays, Gavin Lux, TJ Friedl and Noelvi Marte are available.
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Reds' Will Benson: Goes deep again
Rotowire
Benson started in left field and went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 7-4 loss to the Athletics.
Benson upped Cincinnati's lead to 3-0 with his second-inning home run. He's started four of the last five contests and gone deep three times during that stretch. The bump in playing time came out of nowhere for Benson, who rode the bench for the first 20 games after being called up in mid-August.
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Reds' Will Benson: Knocks 11th homer
Rotowire
Benson went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run and a walk in Saturday's 11-5 loss to the Athletics.
Benson has featured primarily in a bench role since his Aug. 17 recall, though this was his second straight start as he covered for TJ Friedl, who was the designated hitter, in center field. Benson has posted a .229/.279/.448 slash line with 11 homers, seven doubles, two triples, two stolen bases, 36 RBI and 30 runs scored over 222 plate appearances this season. It's unclear if the outfielder will be able to carve out a larger role to close out the year, though he could get the chance to if Noelvi Marte continues slumping.
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Reds' Will Benson: Sent back to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Reds optioned Benson to Triple-A Louisville on Sunday.
After Saturday's MLB Speedway Classic was suspended in the first inning due to rain, the Reds will be in need of an extra arm for the continuation of the contest Sunday. Having two minor-league options appears to have worked against Benson, who will head to the minors as Cincinnati brings right-hander Lyon Richardson aboard as its 27th man for the Speedway Classic. Benson should be back with the big club later this month.
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Reds' Will Benson: Productive in Friday's win
Rotowire
Benson went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, a second run scored and a stolen base in Friday's 3-2 win over Atlanta.
He took reliever Dylan Dodd the other way in the seventh inning for his ninth long ball of the season, and his second off a left-handed pitcher. Benson remains a strong-side platoon player for the most part, but he's been struggling of late even in that role -- over 20 games since the beginning of July he's batting just .206 (13-for-63) with a 0:18 BB:K.
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Reds' Will Benson: On bench against southpaw
Rotowire
Benson is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies.
After starting in each of the Reds' last eight games, Benson will take a seat against southpaw Austin Gomber. Though Benson has been holding down a strong-side platoon role since the middle of May, he could be in danger of losing playing time versus righties after the Reds activated Jake Fraley from the injured list Saturday. Benson got the nod in right field Saturday over Fraley against Rockies righty Bradley Blalock, going 1-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a run.
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Reds' Will Benson: Records triple Saturday
Rotowire
Benson started in right field and went 1-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 4-3 win over the Rockies.
Benson's triple drove in a run, and he then scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth of Cincinnati's walk-off win. He remained in the starting nine against a right-hander (Bradley Blalock), despite the return of Jake Fraley (shoulder), who was activated off the injured list Saturday. Fraley has traditionally started against righties when healthy, and he could eventually overtake Benson as the Reds' preferred option at the position.
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Reds' Will Benson: Homers again
Rotowire
Benson went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored during Wednesday's 7-2 win over the Marlins.
Benson went 23 games without a home run before launching a solo shot Saturday against the Phillies. He clubbed another round tripper Wednesday, his eighth of the season, to snap a 0-for-12 skid at the plate. In 160 plate appearances this season, Benson is slashing .224/.281/.434.
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Reds' Will Benson: Ends homer drought
Rotowire
Benson went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's 5-1 loss to the Phillies.
He was given a rare start against a lefty, covering center field for a resting TJ Friedl. Benson gave the Reds a lead with a fifth-inning home run, his seventh of the season and first in 23 games. It's his only hit in 13 at-bats against a southpaw. Benson has largely struggled to produce since an explosive stretch in mid-May, but the bat is showing recent signs of life. He's hit safely in six of his last seven games (five starts), going 8-for-21 (.381) with one double, one homer and three RBI.
