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: Out of Cincinnati lineup
Rotowire
Benson is absent from the lineup for Friday's contest in Milwaukee.
The left-handed-hitting Benson had drawn 11 straight starts against right-handed pitching, but he'll take a seat Friday versus righty Quinn Priester. Gavin Lux and Noelvi Marte will occupy the corner outfield spots for the Reds, while Miguel Andujar will serve as the designated hitter.
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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.
The Reds recalled Benson from Triple-A Louisville on Sunday.
The 27-year-old was demoted to Louisville a couple weeks ago but is back with the Reds after Jake Fraley (knee) was designated for assignment. Benson has a .224/.269/.415 slash line with nine home runs in 61 MLB games this season and should step in as Cincinnati's No. 4 outfielder.
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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.
Benson went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Monday's 5-2 loss to the Dodgers.
Benson's ninth-inning single produced the final run of the game, giving him an RBI in his last two contests. His playing time has dropped off significantly since the return of Jake Fraley; Benson's started just three of 10 games since the Reds returned from the All-Star break. He's batting .178 (24-for-135) over the last 46 contests.
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Reds' Will Benson: Losing out on playing time
Rotowire
Benson is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Nationals.
Following Jake Fraley's return from the injured list shortly before the All-Star break, Benson appears to have faded into a fourth-outfielder role. The left-handed-hitting Benson will take a seat for the fifth straight game, with the Reds facing three lefties and two righties during that stretch.
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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.
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Reds' Will Benson: On bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Benson is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox.
The Red Sox are opening the game with a left-hander (Brennan Bernardino), so the left-handed-hitting Benson will give way to the right-handed-hitting Rece Hinds in right field. Righty Cooper Criswell is scheduled to pitch in bulk relief once Bernardino exits the contest, so it wouldn't be surprising if Benson subbed in for Hinds (or another Reds outfielder) at some point during the game.
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Reds' Will Benson: Plates game-winning run
Rotowire
Benson went 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI and one run scored in Sunday's 3-2 victory over the Padres.
The Cincinnati outfielder ripped an RBI single off San Diego closer Robert Suarez in the ninth for the walk-off win. The single also allowed Benson to secure his first three-hit game since May 18 against Cleveland. Since that date, Benson had struggled to a .163/.240/.233 slash line across 100 plate appearances prior to this contest, so perhaps this performance can turn around his fortunes. The 27-year-old is on the strong side of a platoon in right field with Rece Hinds and is now slashing .233/.299/.433 across 137 total plate appearances.
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