Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson (finger) is out of the lineup again on Thursday versus the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park. Benson injured his left middle finger on Sept. 12 and hasn't played since, but apparently he's feeling better after coming off the bench in the team's last two games. The 26-year-old left-handed slugger will continue to be an outfield bench bat to close out the season. He does have 14 round-trippers on the year and 14 stolen bases in 328 at-bats, but he's hitting just .192 (63-for-328). Benson has played in just seven games in the month of September and has only one hit, an RBI, three walks and five strikeouts in his 13 plate appearances. Since the All-Star break, he's hit .200 (14-for-70) with four homers, four doubles, 10 RBI, nine walks and 30 strikeouts in 79 plate appearances.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson (finger) was forced to leave Thursday's game early against the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals when his fingers were hit while trying to bunt. X-rays came back negative on Benson, though, and he was diagnosed with a bruised left middle finger. Before exiting the eventual 6-1 loss, Benson was hitless in his only at-bat with a strikeout. He was replaced by pinch-hitter Amed Rosario and was eventually replaced in left field by Jake Fraley. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should consider Benson day-to-day, but don't be surprised if he's not available for Friday's series opener in Minnesota against the Twins at Target Field. The 26-year-old former 14th overall pick by the Cleveland Guardians in 2016 has a modest power/speed combination as a platoon player in Cincy with 14 homers and 14 stolen bases, but his .191 average (62-for-325) has been a real drag.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson played a role in Monday's victory versus the Atlanta Braves. Benson went 2-for-2 with a walk, two stolen bases and a solo home run, before being pinch-hit for with Austin Slater in the top of the ninth inning. On the season, Benson is only hitting .194, but he has provided 11 homers, 34 RBI and 13 stolen bases. With sporadic playing time, the outfielder does not offer much value outside of the deepest daily leagues. He can safely remain on the waiver wire for now, but could become intriguing if the Reds make moves at the trade deadline and Benson gets a bigger opportunity.
Jeimer Candelario, Will Benson Not In Wednesday’s Lineup
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Jeimer Candelario and outfielder Will Benson are not in Wednesday's lineup as the Reds look to clinch a series victory over their division rival Pittsburgh Pirates. Candelario has started in each of the past five games with a modest .182 AVG. Benson usually slots in right-field against right-handed pitching, but Wednesday will be an exception. As a result, Santiago Espinal will man the hot corner and bat eighth, and Jake Fraley will cover right field and bat third. They will face Pirates right-hander Luis Ortiz who enters this game with an overall 3.45 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP and allowed 10 hits and six earned runs in his previous start. Both are solid options in DFS this afternoon with a great matchup and playing in hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson (elbow) is starting in left field and is batting eighth against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates and right-hander Mitch Keller on Tuesday. Benson was hit by a pitch on his left elbow on Sunday and he missed Monday's contest, but X-rays came back negative and he's back in action against a right-handed pitcher. The 26-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder should probably be avoided in DFS lineups on Tuesday for a variety of reasons, though. For one, he's hitless in six career at-bats against Keller. Second of all, Benson has really looked bat at the plate in the month of June, batting .156 (7-for-45) with a double, five RBI, one steal and 23 strikeouts in 19 games to drop his season line to a weak .192/.287/.379. Benson hasn't gone yard since May 28.
X-rays came back negative on Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson (elbow) after he was hit by a pitch in Sunday's 7-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox, according to manager David Bell. Benson went 0-for-3 and set a career-high hitless streak with an 0-for-21 slump before getting hit on the inside of his left elbow by a pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning. He stayed in the game to take first base but was eventually replaced on defense in right field by Nick Martini in the top of the ninth inning. The 26-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder appears to have escaped a serious injury but he's unlikely to play on Monday for the series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, especially with the team facing a left-handed pitcher. Benson's cold stretch has dropped his season slash line to .192/.287/.379 with eight homers, 22 RBI and nine steals in 214 at-bats.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson left Sunday's game against the Boston Red Sox after he took a 97 MPH fastball off of his left elbow. He initially stayed in the game to run the bases but exited once the Reds took the field defensively. Benson will likely head for X-rays after the game to see the extent of the injury. The 26-year-old has struggled mightily at the plate over the past few months and is hitless in his past nine games. He is slashing .192/.287/.379 with eight home runs, 22 RBI, and nine stolen bases this season. He can be considered day-to-day for now, but his fantasy value has already been drastically drained.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson turned in an excellent night at the plate in a 13-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday. Benson went 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs, and three RBI to help power Cincy to the blowout win. The 25-year-old outfielder has struggled this season, posting just a .205 batting average along with eight homers, 20 runs, 20 RBI, and eight steals across 176 at-bats. That being said, he's showing signs of life of late, hitting .385 over his past seven contests. With a skillset that blends power and speed, Benson is worth rostering in deeper fantasy leagues moving forward.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson went 1-for-1 with a walk in Tuesday's loss versus the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday. His lone hit would be a home run and the only offense for the Reds on the day. Benson was eventually removed in the 8th inning with a left-hander on the hill. Benson has shown power with eight home runs and 17 RBI to go along with eight stolen bases to his name. The 25-year-old entered the season with high hopes and despite some good power numbers, Benson has been more of a platoon player and will continue to be with outfielder TJ Friedl (thumb) expected to return as soon as this weekend or the beginning of next week. Benson is an intriguing player, but is a better real-life option versus fantasy. Outside of the deepest leagues, he is best suited as a DFS pick.
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Will Benson went 1-for-4 with a home run in Tuesday's victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Benson's homer would come with one runner on and would break a 2-2 tie in the top of the fifth inning to be the eventual game-winning hit. Benson was a hot name heading into the season, but has struggled with a .193 batting average. That being said, he has shown some power with five longballs and 13 RBI. He has also been productive on the basepaths with 8 stolen bases. With TJ Friedl (thumb) landing back on the 10-day injured list, Benson's playing time remains safe. Although he hasn't been helping with batting average, Benson has shown the power and speed that makes him worth rostering in deeper mixed leagues.
