Reds' Will Benson: On bench, but over finger injury
Rotowire
Benson (finger) remains out of the lineup for Thursday's game against Atlanta.
Benson hasn't made a start since being removed from a Sept. 12 game against the Cardinals with a left middle finger injury, but he's appeared off the bench in two contests since then and appears to have moved past the issue. The 26-year-old hasn't been a regular in the Cincinnati lineup in September and will likely see sparse playing time heading into the final week of the season.
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Reds' Will Benson: Not starting Sunday
Rotowire
Benson (finger) is absent from Sunday's lineup against the Twins.
Benson is not starting for a third straight game after sustaining an injury to his left middle finger during Thursday's game against the Cardinals. He did enter Saturday's game against the Twins in the bottom of the seventh inning in right field, and he hit an RBI single in the eighth frame. Benson will likely be available out of the dugout for Sunday's series finale, and with the Reds scheduled for an off-day Monday, the 26-year-old could return to the lineup for Cincinnati's upcoming home series against Atlanta.
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Reds' Will Benson: Sitting again Saturday
Rotowire
Benson (finger) isn't in the Reds' lineup Saturday versus Minnesota.
Benson will be missing his second game in a row since he left Thursday's game after getting hit in the fingers by a pitch during a bunt attempt. While he continues to heal, Spencer Steer, TJ Friedl and Jake Fraley will form the Reds' outfield trio Saturday.
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Reds' Will Benson: On bench Friday
Rotowire
Benson (finger) is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Twins.
Benson was removed from Thursday's game after being hit in the finger by a pitch while attempting a bunt. X-rays on his middle finger came back negative, but he'll get Friday off to recover. Spencer Steer, TJ Friedl and Jake Fraley fill the outfield from left to right.
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Reds' Will Benson: X-rays come back negative
Rotowire
Benson is day-to-day after X-rays on his left middle finger came back negative, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Benson was injured Thursday in St. Louis when a pitch hit his finger on a bunt attempt. He has managed to escape with merely a contusion and is considered day-to-day heading into Friday's series opener at Minnesota.
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Reds' Will Benson: Exits with finger injury
Rotowire
Benson was removed from Thursday's game versus the Cardinals in the sixth inning after a ball struck his fingers on a bunt attempt, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
Benson squared to bunt with two on and no one out but had his left hand wrapped around the barrel of the bat and his fingers caught the brunt of a Sonny Gray pitch. To add insult to injury, Benson was charged with a strike on the play rather than a hit-by-pitch. He's surely headed for X-rays and should be considered day-to-day until his status is updated. Benson struck out in his lone plate appearance before exiting.
Benson is out of the lineup for Monday's game in Atlanta.
T.J. Friedl needed just one afternoon out of the lineup to recover from experiencing a shortness of breath in Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Mets, so Benson will head back to the bench as the Reds head to Atlanta for a standalone game. Before cracking the lineup Sunday, Benson hadn't started in any of the Reds' preceding five contests.
Reds' Will Benson: Getting fifth start in six games
Rotowire
Benson will start in left field and bat eighth in Sunday's game against the Brewers.
Benson will draw his fifth start in six games after he closed out August by going 3-for-11 with two home runs, one double and two walks over his final five contests of the month. With Jake Fraley (knee) returning from the injured list Sunday, Benson's opportunities to play against right-handed pitching will likely become more limited moving forward, but the Reds will have room for both players in the lineup in the series finale while Spencer Steer gets a day off.
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Reds' Will Benson: Goes yard again Thursday
Rotowire
Benson went 1-for-2 with a solo home run in Thursday's 10-9 win over the Athletics.
Benson got the Reds on the board with his third-inning homer. This was his second game in a row with a homer, which could help his case for playing time down the stretch, but he's still unlikely to see anything more than a part-time role. The outfielder has gone 6-for-31 (.194) in August, which is right in line with his .195 average for the year. He's added 14 homers, 42 RBI, 37 runs scored and 14 stolen bases with a .676 OPS across 352 plate appearances. Even as a lefty hitter, Benson has had to share right field with a trio of right-handed options in Santiago Espinal, Rece Hinds and Amed Rosario.
Benson went 1-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Wednesday's 9-6 loss to the Athletics.
Benson's three-run home run capped a six-run seventh inning that brought the Reds all the way back from a 5-0 deficit, but they couldn't hold on for the win. The home run was Benson's first in 16 games and 13th of the season. The lefty-hitting outfielder is batting .193 with a .664 OPS and sees only sporadic playing time against right-handers.
